A nineteen-year-old college student is facing serious federal charges following an incident involving arson at a Tesla dealership in Missouri. Owen McIntire, a resident of Kansas City, was apprehended by U.S. authorities in Boston after investigators determined he was responsible for launching incendiary devices at the property while on spring break.
McIntire’s legal troubles began Friday with his initial appearance before a U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. He has been formally charged with two offenses: unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and causing damage to interstate commerce through malicious fire. According to court filings, the charges stem from the events surrounding the March 17th incident at the Kansas City Tesla Center.
““Let me be extremely clear to anyone who still wants to firebomb a Tesla property: You will not evade us,” U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated emphatically. “You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. You will spend decades behind bars. It is not worth it.””
The situation unfolded after a Kansas City Police Department officer reported witnessing smoke emanating from a Cybertruck parked in the dealership’s lot, accompanied by a loud disturbance. The officer subsequently discovered a Molotov cocktail – still intact – near the burning vehicle just before midnight.
Responding fire crews successfully extinguished the blaze, which had spread to a second vehicle on site. Both damaged Cybertrucks were valued at approximately $105,485 and $107,485 respectively. Furthermore, two Tesla charging stations sustained damage, with an estimated cost of $550 each.
“These actions are dangerous, they are illegal and we are going to arrest those responsible,” FBI Director Kash Patel declared. “We will work with our partners at the Department of Justice to hold accountable anyone who commits such crimes.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) played a crucial role in the investigation, recovering and analyzing evidence including the Molotov cocktails used in the attack. Surveillance footage subsequently identified McIntire – wearing a hat – as the individual responsible for lighting and throwing the devices at the Cybertrucks before fleeing the scene. A hat matching his description was later located nearby, with DNA analysis confirming its connection to McIntire.
The investigation involves collaboration between several agencies including the FBI Kansas City field office, the Boston field office, the ATF, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Authorities are actively pursuing this case, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges and potential penalties.
