Published on: January 2, 2025, 07:40h.
Last updated on: January 2, 2025, 07:40h.
Authorities are still investigating the mysterious explosion that occurred on New Year’s Day, resulting in one fatality and injuring seven individuals outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
The authorities in Las Vegas have confirmed that they are exploring potential links between the deadly explosion on the Las Vegas Strip and the mass shooting on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street that occurred just hours earlier.
“This is a coordinated investigation involving federal, state, and local authorities,” stated the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) in a recent announcement. “Investigators are working to identify the suspect and determine whether this was an act of terrorism. Current evidence suggests that this was an isolated incident with no indication of a larger scheme.”
Suspect Identification
The suspect who drove the Tesla Cybertruck to the Trump Hotel’s valet area has been identified as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, as per the New York Post.
He was an Army veteran from Colorado. Reports from Las Vegas TV station KTNV indicated that he had multiple residences in Colorado Springs.
He rented the 2024 electric truck via a Turo app and picked it up in Colorado. He began his journey to Nevada on Monday, making frequent stops at Tesla charging stations. He was alone in the vehicle and arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
The truck’s bed contained gasoline tanks, camping fuel, and firework mortars, according to Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill.
Initially, Livelsberger drove around Las Vegas Boulevard for about an hour. At approximately 8:39 a.m., he entered the valet area at the Trump Hotel. The vehicle was parked in front of the hotel’s main entrance. Shortly after, the truck ignited, bursting into flames and causing an explosion.
The explosion triggered the sprinklers in the valet area, alerting emergency services. Firefighters from Clark County and officers from LVMPD swiftly responded to the hotel.
The first fire engine arrived at the scene just four minutes after the explosion was reported. A team of firefighters quickly covered the burning truck with a specialized tarp to extinguish the flames.
“The individual in the truck was pronounced dead at the scene,” McMahill stated at a press briefing.
The sheriff’s office has not confirmed his identity, but several news outlets and social media platforms have identified him as Livelsberger.
Seven other individuals in the valet area were injured in the explosion. Two were taken to University Medical Center for treatment and later discharged.
The damage to the hotel was minimal, likely due to the design of the Cybertruck, which sustained its exterior.
The culprits chose the wrong vehicle for their terrorist act,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on X, the social media platform he owns, formerly known as Twitter. “The Cybertruck contained the explosion and directed it upwards. Not even the lobby’s glass doors were shattered.”
Most guests at the Trump International Hotel were evacuated to the nearby Resorts World Las Vegas. The adjacent Fashion Show Las Vegas mall was also evacuated but reopened later in the day.
Jeremy Schwartz, the acting agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas office, informed reporters that the agency’s immediate focus will be on confirming the suspect’s identity and determining whether the incident was an act of terrorism.
We believe this is an isolated incident,” Schwartz added. “We have no reason to believe that there are others supporting or aiding this. There is currently no additional threat to the community.”
However, McMahill mentioned that investigators are keeping all possibilities open.
Authorities will be probing whether it was coincidental that both the Cybertruck at the Trump hotel and the F-150 used in the New Orleans attack were rented through a Turo app.
Trump-Musk Connection
There are concerns that the attack occurred at a Trump-owned hotel and that the suspect used a Tesla vehicle, a company owned by Musk.
Musk plays a significant role in President Donald Trump’s second term.
It’s a Tesla truck. We are aware that Elon Musk is collaborating with President-Elect Trump. And it’s the Trump Tower. So, there are certainly concerns to address. It’s a situation that we are closely monitoring,” McMahill confirmed during the press conference.
To ensure public safety, the LVMPD has deployed additional officers in the Las Vegas Strip, Downtown Las Vegas, and other areas under its supervision for the next few days.