Gunshots fired into windows of Salem Tesla dealership, police say

Salem police and federal agents are investigating a shooting early Wednesday morning that damaged windows at the Tesla dealership in south Salem.

The shooting is the second criminal incident at the dealership in just the past month, following a suspected vehicle arson and window damage on Jan. 20.

Federal authorities are involved in both Salem cases, though investigators have not said whether they suspect the incidents were politically motivated. 

The incidents come as Tesla dealerships across the U.S. have been the targets of political protest due to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in President Donald Trump’s administration. Musk has overseen the mass firing of federal employees and slashed government spending while running a cost-cutting task force Trump named the Department of Government Efficiency.

Salem police responded just before 5 a.m. Wednesday to a report of damaged windows at the dealership at 2755 Mission St. S.E. Police remained on scene until around 12 p.m. Wednesday.

“Officers found the damage to be from gunshots,” according to agency spokeswoman Angela Hedrick.

Hedrick said authorities have made no arrests and are still investigating the shooting.

She declined to specify why the FBI was helping investigate the shooting. “The FBI’s standard practice is to assist local agencies with their expertise or tools, for example, if it can benefit an investigation,” she said.

When asked whether police suspect the incidents were politically motivated, Hedrick said, “The incident was reported less than six hours ago, and we have detectives that are still on the scene gathering evidence and facts in the case.”

The shooting comes just over four weeks after authorities investigated a vehicle fire at the dealership. 

The earlier fire at the dealership was reported around 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 20. Fire damage was contained to one car, and one of the dealership’s windows was broken. 

Federal agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives helped investigate the incident. 

Salem police said at the time that they were investigating the fire as an arson but had made no arrests. They asked anyone with information to call the agency’s tip line at 503-588-8477. 

The FBI’s Portland field office told Salem Reporter in a statement Wednesday that the fire investigation was still pending.

The FBI and ATF are jointly investigating the fire, according to Hedrick.

This story was updated Wednesday afternoon with information provided by the FBI’s Portland field office.

CORRECTION: This story was updated to reflect that the FBI and ATF are jointly investigating the January fire – not both incidents, as the FBI originally stated.

Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.

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