Tesla is facing yet another lawsuit, but this time it's not about failing door handles or an Autopilot crash. New court filings claim that the suspect in last weekend’s deadly mass shooting in Austin had previously assaulted a Tesla employee months earlier while working at one of the company’s facilities. The defendant is suing Tesla for more than $1 million in damages due to negligence.
Assault Claim Emerges From Tesla Factory
According to the suit, 65-year-old Tesla employee Lillian Mendoza Brady claims she was assaulted by fellow employee Ndiaga Diagne on December 4, 2025, while both were working at the company’s Austin facility. The lawsuit states that Tesla allowed workers to take prayer breaks in common areas inside the factory. During a prayer break inside the factory, Diagne allegedly grabbed Brady and violently threw her to the ground. The filing argues Tesla either knew or should have known about what it describes as Diagne’s “volatile temperament and propensity for aggression." Brady reported the incident to Tesla and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office at the time, but unfortunately, she did not have his name or access to any security footage from the facility.
Months Later, The Same Man Allegedly Opens Fire
On 1 March, more than two months after Brady was assaulted, Diagne carried out the mass shooting in Austin’s busy Sixth Street entertainment district before being shot and killed by police. Diagne drove a black Cadillac SUV and fired into a crowd outside a bar, leaving three dead and nearly twenty others injured. Federal authorities are also examining whether the shooting could have had broader motivations, though the investigation remains ongoing. Only after the March shooting did Brady recognize the man she says assaulted her when his face appeared in national news coverage.
Tesla’s Growing List Of Lawsuits
Tesla
The case adds to a growing list of legal battles involving Tesla’s vehicles and factory operations. This year alone, the automaker has faced a concerning long list of legal squabbles, including a $51 million lawsuit after a worker was reportedly knocked unconscious by a factory robot, another claim alleging that Model S doors may fail to open in emergencies, and a $1 million lawsuit filed by a Tesla Cybertruck owner regarding an alleged Autopilot crash. But there are workplace-specific incidents too, like when an employee claimed 150 pounds of Cybertruck components fell and caused injuries while on the job. Tesla has also faced accusations that it favored foreign visa workers over American employees.
Despite these ongoing legal challenges, Elon Musk has continued outlining ambitious long-term plans for the company, even suggesting that Tesla could one day build factories on the Moon. Before expanding production beyond Earth’s atmosphere, Tesla may first need to address the issues unfolding inside its factories here on Earth.
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