Justin McCauley, 31, A Tesla employee from Minnesota, was arrested after allegedly making threats to kill US President Joe Biden and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, as confirmed by Tesla Police.
McCauley, who had previously posted on social media about his intentions, was charged with felony terroristic threats on Tuesday. In his tweet, he wrote, "I will arrive in Texas, where the war has begun on many fronts @X, @Tesla and '@JoeBiden @X @Tesla @Elonmusk, I am planning to Kill all of you."
According to court documents cited in a Kxan report, McCauley's wife contacted Rogers Police when he declared his intention to leave for Texas and not return. She informed authorities that he had left his cell phone unattended to avoid being tracked.
When approached by Oklahoma police last Friday, McCauley allegedly expressed a desire to speak with the president. He reportedly stated, "Wouldn't you want to talk to the president if you knew you were going to die tomorrow?" However, he was not detained by law enforcement at that time as he did not meet the criteria for emergency detention.
Further investigation revealed that McCauley was employed at Tesla in Minnesota but was on workers' compensation due to an injury. He was later pulled over by police in Austin on Sunday while reportedly on his way to the Tesla Gigafactory to meet with CEO Musk. McCauley claimed he intended to provide Musk with a password known only to him. He was subsequently taken into custody.
The day before McCauley's arrest, authorities responded to a terroristic threat at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin. It remains unclear if McCauley was involved in this incident.
Following his arrest, McCauley faced charges of terroristic threat, a third-degree felony, and was held at Travis County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
In December 2022, Elon Musk expressed concerns about his safety during an interview on Twitter Spaces. He mentioned the significant risk of harm, including the possibility of being shot, and hoped for a favorable outcome.
The incident has raised questions about security measures and employee safety, especially in high-profile companies like Tesla. Further updates on the case are expected as investigations continue.
