| Date | May 17, 1995 |
|---|---|
| Time | 6:45 p.m. (UTC−07:00) |
| Location | National Guard Armory and nearby San Diego |
| Motive | Unknown |
| Perpetrator | Shawn Nelson |
| Outcome | Nelson killed by police |
| Deaths | 1 (Nelson) |
| Non-fatal injuries | 0 |
| Property damage | US$149,201 (eq. $289,855 in 2023) |
The 1995 San Diego tank rampage was the theft of an M60A3 tank by Shawn Timothy Nelson and his destruction of cars and utilities in suburban San Diego.
Nelson was a native Californian and United States Army veteran with unusual habits that drew the attention of his neighbors. By the second quarter of 1995, the 35-year-old had recently suffered financial, professional, and interpersonal setbacks, some of which stemmed from long-term substance abuse.
On May 17, he stole a 57.3-tonne (56.4-long-ton; 63.2-short-ton) tank from the local California Army National Guard armory and drove it around for six miles (9.7 km), crushing cars and infrastructure in his path—though without injuring anyone. The tank crashed and was partially disabled, and San Diego police forced it open before shooting and killing Nelson.
Nelson's motives are unknown. The incident raised questions about military security at the Guard armory and spurred changes in California's tank storage.