Colorado man faces federal charges in Tesla firebombing attack

A man accused of firebombing a Tesla dealership in Colorado is facing federal charges, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Monday. 

Cooper Jo Fredrick, 24, was arrested in Plano, Texas, on suspicion of attacking a Tesla dealership on March 7 in Loveland, Colo., Bondi said. 

“Let this be a warning. You can run, but you cannot hide,” Bondi said in a video message. “Justice is coming.”

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Frederick, a resident of Fort Collins, Colo., allegedly ignited an incendiary device and hurled it at the dealership, narrowly missing several parked vehicles. The device landed between two cars, and created a fire, Loveland police said. 

Several people inside the dealership who were cleaning the building were present at the time, police said. However, a quick-thinking officer at the scene extinguished the flames and no one was harmed. 

The building and several vehicles were also damaged by rocks, police said. 

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“I’ve made it clear (that) if you take part in the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, we will find you, arrest you and put you behind bars,” Bondi said. “All of these cases are a serious threat to public safety. Therefore, there will be no negotiation.”

Frederick was arrested a week after the attack. Federal prosecutors are seeking 20 years in prison, Bondi said. 

In addition to the federal charges against him, Frederick is also facing local charges, including second-degree arson and possession of explosives or incendiary devices. 

He is one of several suspects charged in connection with attacks on Tesla dealerships and factories in recent weeks. The attacks appeared to center on Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his role with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

Lucy Grace Nelson, 42, also known as Justin Thomas Nelson, is also facing charges in connection with a separate Feb. 27 incident at the same Loveland dealership.

In response to the attacks, the FBI has launched a task force to crack down on the violence, with the group created in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) to coordinate investigative activity.