FBI, ATF and Lacey Police Investigate Early‑Morning Explosion That Damaged Tesla Supercharger

Lacey Police, joined by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said they are investigating an early‑morning April 8 explosion that damaged a Tesla Supercharger in the South Sound Center shopping area and are asking the public to provide photos, videos or other tips.

The incident occurred at about 1:34 a.m. on April 8 in the 600 block of Sleater‑Kinney Road SE, authorities said. Lacey Police said the damage to the charging station and a nearby transformer led investigators to treat the event as most likely an intentional criminal act, and the department requested a joint investigation with the FBI and ATF.

Why it matters: FBI and ATF involvement brings federal investigative resources and the case is being handled with an elevated public‑safety posture. The FBI said it is treating the incident “as if it were a domestic terrorism incident,” a status that broadens investigative resources and public appeals while motive remains under investigation.

Lacey Police Chief Almoda said officers and first responders arrived on scene to significant damage but found no active fire. “I also wanna acknowledge the work of our first responders who face significant challenges during the early morning hours of this investigation and work diligently [to] protect the integrity of the crime scene,” Chief Almoda said during a briefing.

Mike Harrington, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office, described the suspect released in the bureau’s seeking‑information poster and asked the public to check home and business video from the late evening of April 7 through the early morning of April 8. Harrington said investigators are looking for a white male, about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 2 inches, wearing a dark jacket and a face covering, carrying a white bag, and showing a “unique gait” — a slight limp to the right leg with the right hand sometimes held behind the back. Harrington added, “We are treating this as if it were a domestic terrorism incident. However, we don't know what may have motivated this.”

Authorities also asked the public to help locate a 2016–2019 Tesla Model X, gray to dark gray, that was at the charging station prior to and during the incident. Harrington said the vehicle itself is not believed to be involved in the attack but could be a witness with recorded video.

Jonathan Blaise, special agent in charge of the ATF’s Seattle Field Division, described ATF’s role in fire and explosives investigations and said evidence was collected at the scene and sent to an ATF forensic laboratory for analysis. “It’s part of the investigation, and it's the reason why evidence was sent to the laboratory for a final determination,” Blaise said.

Investigators said they canvassed the area immediately after the incident and collected video from several businesses and some Tesla vehicles. Lacey Police said they continue to gather footage and urged residents and businesses to submit any video that captures the South Sound Center area, including Target and Kohl’s, or the Chehalis Western and Woodland Creek trails, between the evening of April 7 and the early morning of April 8.

A reporter asked whether a bomb or an accelerant caused the explosion; officials repeatedly said the cause remains under forensic analysis and that ATF lab results will be needed to make a final determination. Law enforcement said there was no active fire when officers arrived and that damage included a blown transformer and at least one charging bay.

Officials said they are aware of only one suspect at this time but are not ruling out the possibility of an accomplice. Harrington said the suspect was last seen leaving the area on foot; authorities asked the public for any footage that might show the suspect’s movements after he left the station.

Contact and tip information: investigators asked anyone with information or media to use the FBI’s digital tip line or call the Lacey Police Department at (360) 459‑4333. The FBI also provided a toll‑free tip line on the poster distributed publicly during the briefing.

The investigation remains active. Officials said they will release additional information as forensic testing and investigative work permits.