Police investigate a homicide at Tesla Fremont factory [Updated]

The Fremont Police Department announced that its homicide detectives are investigating a “suspicious death” that occurred at Tesla Fremont factory yesterday, December 13.

Update 5:17 PM: the death has been updated as a homicide by the Fremont Police. A suspect has been arrested and police have released a press release with more information. It seems to have been an altercation between employees.

Details are scarce at the moment as all the information is coming from a short statement from the Fremont Police stating that the fire department responded to a subject in the parking lot of Tesla Fremont factory and pronounced the subject deceased.

The Fremont Police’s homicide investigators took over the case as a “suspicious death.”

Here’s the full statement:

On December 13, 2021 at approximately 3:26 p.m., Fremont Fire Department personnel responded to Tesla on a report of a subject down in the parking lot.  Firefighters provided medical aid and pronounced the subject deceased.  Fremont Police Homicide Investigators are on scene and have taken over the investigation.

A death is classified as “suspicious” when it can not be medically or legally explained yet.

The police will sometimes investigate alongside the coroner, like the case here, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it was a homicide.

Update: the police have now issued a new statement confirming that it is now being investigated as a homicide. An update with more information is going to be released later today.

At this point, it’s unclear how Tesla is involved in the investigation and if it’s affecting activities at Fremont factory.

Tesla employs about 10,000 at the factory, which produces all its electric vehicles for North American markets.

The automaker is currently in its end-of-the-quarter push when the factory’s output is critical.