FREMONT — A 29-year-old man was arrested Monday on suspicion of killing a co-worker outside the Tesla Motors factory after the two had argued earlier in the day, authorities said.
In a statement, police said firefighters responded shortly after 3:25 p.m. for a person on the ground in a parking lot. Despite life-saving measures, the person was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, police said investigators recovered several .223-caliber rifle casings near the man’s body. They reportedly learned that the man had just finished a shift at the Tesla factory — and that he had argued earlier that day with a co-worker who then abruptly walked off the job.Detectives with the department’s gun-violence reduction team located the suspect in Milpitas shortly after 8:40 p.m. Monday and kept him under surveillance while continuing to investigate the incident and obtain search and arrest warrants.
Shortly after midnight, detectives arrested the suspect, identified as Anthony Solima, 29, and took him to Fremont city jail. He was later booked into Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of murder. A search of Solima’s vehicle yielded a loaded non-serialized .223-caliber short-barrel rifle, as well as an expended casing, police said.
Solima is being held without bail and faces an arraignment hearing Thursday at Dublin’s East County Hall of Justice, according to a county records check.
Police said there were no other outstanding suspects and no threat to the community.
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office coroner’s bureau had not yet confirmed the victim’s name Tuesday afternoon, police said.
Some Tesla employees about to head into the factory for their evening shifts on Monday said they were saddened to hear about the death. The employees asked their names not be published because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
One man who works in the paint department said it made him feel “a bit uncomfortable,” because it happened on Tesla’s property.
Another man said: “That’s pretty crazy to think about. But I mean, I feel like stuff like that happens all the time, you can’t really control it.
“It’s pretty crazy. I feel bad for whoever’s family that was,” he said.
Some employees said arguments occasionally break out among coworkers, but nothing gets “super heated,” according to one man.
“People just rub each other the wrong way sometimes,” another employee said. But for the most part, “everybody just kind of minds their business,” he said.
Anyone with information may call Fremont police at 510-790-6900 or e-mail Fremont police Det. Michael Gebhardt at Mgebhardt@fremont.gov or send anonymous tips by texting TIP FREMONTPD followed by a short message to 888777.
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.
