A Tesla employee was killed, and another was arrested after a violent shooting outside the company’s Fremont factory on Monday afternoon.
According to the Fremont Police Department, Anthony Solima, 29, of Milpitas, was detained on a homicide warrant Monday night. According to jail records, Solima, 29, is being held on suspicion of murder and was set to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.
The incident began, according to police, with a request for medical aid. Firefighters were called to a parking lot at Tesla’s facility in the 45000 block of Fremont Boulevard at 3:26 p.m., the police said. When they arrived, they discovered an unresponsive man with an apparent injury.
Firefighters summoned police, who confirmed the victim had at least one gunshot wound. Shortly after, he was reported dead by medical staff.
Officers began their investigation by recovering six used 223-caliber rifle shells, according to police. The victim finished his shift at the factory and walked out to the parking lot, where he was shot, the homicide police said.
“Within several hours, detectives developed leads on a potential suspect who also worked with the victim,” police said. “Detectives learned that the victim and suspect had been arguing earlier in the day and that the suspect had suddenly walked off the job.”
As other detectives strengthened the case, the police tracked Solima in Milpitas and surveilled him. According to the police, the surveillance team continued to watch Solima “until an opportunity to apprehend [him] presented itself when he exited his vehicle.”
According to the authorities, Solima quickly surrendered. A loaded, non-serialized.223-caliber short-barrel rifle, as well as a round case, were recovered in his car by investigators.
Police eventually confirmed that the gun was a “ghost gun.” These firearms are frequently made with 3-D-printed polymer parts. The guns can be built at home using inexpensive kits. Since licensed manufacturers do not create them, they lack serial numbers and are impossible to track. This year, the Los Angeles Police Department declared ghost guns a pandemic.
According to Fremont police, the investigation into Monday’s incident is still ongoing. The identity of the victim has not yet been revealed.