Tesla Employee Shot Dead Outside Northern California Plant Allegedly By Co-Worker After Earlier Argument

A Tesla employee who was found dead in the parking lot of the company’s Northern California manufacturing plant on Monday, Dec. 13 was reportedly shot to death by his co-worker over an earlier argument, authorities said Tuesday.

The unidentified victim was leaving the company's Fremont factory at the end of his shift when the suspect, 29-year-old Anthony Solima of Milpitas allegedly opened fire at him, investigators said.

Solima has been arrested on suspicion of murder as investigators believe he and the victim had an argument earlier in the day.

According to the Fremont Police Department, Solima had armed himself with an untraceable 'ghost gun' when he suddenly walked off in the middle of his shift.

The reason behind the argument between Solima and the victim is unclear at this time.

The Fremont Fire Department responded to the scene and found the victim unresponsive with at least one gunshot wound. They alerted the police while providing medical aid to the injured victim.

Emergency medical services rushed to the scene but the victim had died by then, according to local media reports.

The investigators recovered several expended .223 caliber casings near the crime scene.

During the preliminary investigation, detectives learned of the argument between the victim and Solima.

“Within several hours, detectives developed leads on a potential suspect who also worked with the victim,” police said.

At around 8:45 p.m. the investigators located Solima and followed him “until an opportunity presented itself to arrest [him] when he exited his vehicle”, the Los Angeles Times reported.

During a search, investigators found a loaded .223-caliber, non-serialized short-barrel rifle along with a used casing inside his car.

Solima is currently being held at the Santa Rita jail, without bail. He is due to be arraigned on Thursday, according to jail records.

Ghost guns are homemade weapons typically made from 3-D printed plastic parts. They are relatively inexpensive and can be assembled at home using kits.

They are almost impossible to trace as they are not made by licensed manufacturers and do not bear a serial number.

According to federal firearms officials, more than 40 percent of guns seized in Los Angeles are ghost guns.