The individual inside the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded next to the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas was a U.S. military member, according to three anonymous American officials cited by the Associated Press. The explosion resulted in minor injuries to seven people.
The deceased soldier, Matthew Livelsberger, reportedly served in a special unit focused on unconventional warfare and had previously been stationed at Fort Liberty, a major military base in North Carolina. He was on leave from Germany in recent days.
Surveillance footage showed the Cybertruck explosion, with mortars and burning camping gas canisters found in the truck bed. The local police stated that the gas canisters were connected to a detonation system controlled by the driver.
The Tesla was rented via the Turo app, and according to the Las Vegas sheriff, arrived in the city at around 7:30 AM, heading directly to the Trump Hotel. The local police noted that the Tesla’s strong frame limited the number of casualties.
The FBI is investigating potential terrorism links, considering the association between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the hotel’s name. Musk has recently established close ties with President-elect Trump, a partial owner of the Las Vegas hotel where the explosion occurred.
Eric Trump, Donald Trump’s son, thanked the fire and police departments shortly after the incident. The FBI spokesperson stated there is no connection between the exploded Tesla and the New Orleans attack on New Year’s Eve, where a rented pickup truck from Turo plowed into crowds on Bourbon Street, resulting in fifteen fatalities.
The New Orleans attacker, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, was also a veteran who served at Fort Liberty. According to a U.S. official, the two soldiers never met.
The FBI confirmed that Jabbar was “100 percent” inspired by the terrorist group ISIS, as an ISIS flag was found in the vehicle.
Source: NOS