Tesla employee accused of ambushing, fatally shooting coworker after they got into dispute, police say

A Tesla employee was taken into custody after fatally shooting a male coworker at one of the automaker’s manufacturing factories in California, police said.

According to the Fremont Police Department, officers took Anthony Solima, 29, into custody without incident shortly before midnight on Dec. 13 and booked him into the Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder. He was being held without bail.

“Detectives learned that the victim and suspect had been arguing earlier in the day, and that the suspect had suddenly walked off the job,” police said.

About 3:30 p.m., first responders were called to the Tesla plant, where they found the man, who had just finished his shift, fatally shot in the parking lot. Medical personnel declared the victim dead at the scene.

Officers investigating the shooting located multiple .223 rifle casings near the victim’s body, according to police.

Detectives with the Fremont Police Department’s Gun Violence Reduction Team located the suspect in Milpitas at around 8:42 p.m. and placed him under surveillance while they continued to conduct the investigation and obtain arrest and search warrants for his vehicle.

After Solima’s arrest, detectives searching his vehicle allegedly recovered a loaded .223 caliber short-barrel rifle that was not serialized as well as an extended casing, police said.