A Tesla employee from Minnesota was cuffed in Travis County, Texas, after spewing online threats against President Joe Biden and Elon Musk, authorities reported. The man, identified as 31-year-old Justin Mathew McCauley, was charged with making a terroristic threat, a third-degree felony.
Law enforcement became aware of McCauley's menacing posts on the social media platform X which stated, "@JoeBiden @X @Tesla @Elonmusk, I am planning to Kill all of you," as recounted in his arrest affidavit. His digital tirade even extended to Musk's companies Tesla and X, as detailed by FOX 7 Austin.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, trouble at home may have foreshadowed the events; McCauley's spouse notified police in Minnesota that he left claiming he'd never return. She also noted that he ditched his cell phone, allegedly to dodge being tracked.
Encountering law enforcement in Oklahoma, McCauley ostensibly sought an audience with the president, asking an arresting officer, "Wouldn't you want to talk to the president if you knew you were going to die tomorrow?" as per Austin American Statesman. The specifics of the Oklahoma encounter remain murky, but they paint a picture of a man on a misguided mission.
On Jan. 28, deputies stopped McCauley while he roamed the 16300 block of North Interstate 35 in Austin. He told them of his intent to head to the Tesla Gigafactory with the purpose to "try and contact ElonMusk," the affidavit states. McCauley's plans were cut short as deputies arrested him, following which, his bail was set at $20,000, confinement records affirm.
