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Tesla owner relates dramatic tale of road rage, a gunshot, and a mad dash to save a boy’s life

Credit: Brian Cassella for the Chicago Tribune

Published

4 years ago

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People tend to do ridiculously foolish things when consumed by road rage. US statistics indicate that one in three collisions involves road rage, and eight out of ten Americans are involved in road rage behavior at least once a year. With such numbers, it is no surprise that road rage is the cause of approximately 30 murders annually in the United States. One such incident almost happened recently, if it wasn’t for a Good Samaritan driving an electric car. 

A Tesla Model S owner (who declined to have his name published) was driving on Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, after getting his COVID-19 vaccine when he caught sight of a crash near Monroe Drive. As the EV driver got closer, he saw a woman crawling out of her vehicle while holding a small child. The woman was screaming for help, stating that her baby’s been shot. She was desperately trying to flag down passing vehicles, but some drivers, despite gawking at the crash, were simply driving away. The Tesla owner, who had his window down already, sprung into action. 

Breaking the Bystander Effect

In a statement to the Chicago Tribune, the Tesla owner stated that he didn’t even get out of the car. “It wasn’t much of a conversation. I remember her pleading: ‘Help me!’” the EV driver said. Sharing his experience further, the Tesla owner noted that he told the woman, who was later identified as the boy’s grandmother, to just jump in, and that he would drive them to a hospital. A man that was with the woman and injured child also rode with the pair. 

The Model S owner noted that his adrenaline was pumping then, and all he could focus on was to get his three passengers to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, which was several blocks away. As soon as the group arrived at Northwestern’s emergency room, hospital staff rushed the woman, the boy, and the man into the medical facility. That was the last time that the EV driver saw them together, though the man later expressed his thanks. 

The boy, who was identified as 21-month-old Kayden Swann, had been shot in the head during a road rage incident that started on Lake Shore Drive. According to police, the shooter and the victims did not appear to know each other, though the incident seemed to have been caused by one of the drivers not letting the other into their lane. Kayden was in a child safety seat in a white Lincoln, while his grandmother was in the passenger seat. The grandmother’s boyfriend was driving.  

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As per a witness, the Lincoln and an SUV started driving erratically in what appeared to be an altercation. Eventually, someone from the SUV fired several shots at the Lincoln, one of which hit Kayden in the head. Another witness noted that the man driving the Lincoln also returned fire. The crash happened not long after. 

The Aftermath

The Tesla owner told the Tribune that he did not want to leave the hospital after transporting the injured boy, partly because his adrenaline was still running. After about two minutes, two Chicago police officers arrived at the hospital. The authorities spoke with the Tesla owner and gathered evidence and blood samples from the Model S’ back seats. The Tesla driver also shared videos from his vehicle’s built-in dashcam. Explaining his actions, the Tesla owner noted that he could not have lived with himself if he did not help. 

“I’m glad we could get there in time. I didn’t know the baby had been shot in the head. The truth is, as fast as this happened, I have no idea what they even looked like. I mean, they needed help. Ultimately, I could not have that on my conscience. I could be inconvenienced, and that was the cause of someone’s death?” the man said. 

At a news conference on Wednesday, Dr. Marcelo Malakooti of Lurie Children’s Hospital, where Kayden Swann was transferred to, noted that the 21-month old boy was in a medical coma to protect his brain. He was also hooked up to a ventilator. This weekend, a local ABC report noted that Kayden had been removed from a medically induced coma, but he was still looked up to a ventilator.

Jushawn Brown, the 43-year-old man with Kayden and his grandmother, had been slapped with felony gun charges and released on a $5,000 bail. The SUV driver had not been apprehended as of date. 

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Lifestyle

Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

Published

3 weeks ago

on

July 30, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.

The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.

Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video

With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:

To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”

Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.

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Elon Musk

xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

Published

3 weeks ago

on

July 26, 2025

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xAI-supercomputer-memphis-environment-pushback
(Credit: xAI)

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area. 

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs

Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.

In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.

“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.

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Musk Foundation donation

Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students. 

The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”

“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.

The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”

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Lifestyle

EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

Published

1 month ago

on

July 12, 2025

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

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Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

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In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

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