A Tesla Cybertruck stopped in front of Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on New Year’s Day and eventually exploded after emitting smoke.
The Las Vegas Metropolital Police Department confirmed that one individual was found deceased inside the vehicle. Seven others were injured in the blast.
In a subsequent briefing, Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that officials found camping fuel, firework mortars, and gas tanks inside the Cybertruck. However, they did not find any devices that could have set off the items.
Investigators determined that the Tesla Cybertruck was a rental and had been driven to Las Vegas from Colorado.
According to a license plate reader, the vehicle arrived in the city at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time, after which it spent one hour in Las Vegas Boulevard before stopping in front of the hotel.
It exploded at around 8:30 a.m., which prompted everyone in the hotel to evacuate.
The Man Behind the Explosion
While the identity of the Cybertruck driver has not been officially identified via DNA testing, preliminary evidence – including two tattoos on the driver’s body – suggests it was 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger.
McMahill said the man who died inside the vehicle had a gunshot wound to the head and was likely deceased before the vehicle burst into flames outisde the hotel.
A firearm was discovered at the driver’s feet, leading investigators to believe that the wound was self-inflicted.
A second weapon was also found inside the truck, in addition to a password, military ID, a smartphone and a smartwatch.
Livelsberger, who was from Colorado Springs, Colrado, was a former soldier who served in the Green Berets, an elite unit of the U.S. Army that worked to train partners and counter terrorism.
A decorated officer, Livelsberger had spent time in Afghanistan and also served in Georgia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tajikistan and Ukraine.
At the time of the explosion, he was still on active duty, though he was on approved leave.
Letters found On His Phone
Authorities later discovered two letters on the driver’s phone. In the documents, Livelsberger claimed the U.S. was being led by ‘the weak’ and those who were looking to ‘enrich themselves’. He also said the incident was meant to be ‘a wake up call’ and ‘not a terrorist attack.’
He also expressed his support for Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Elmon Mask and expressed disdain for equity, diversity, income inequality, and inclusion initiatives.
Officials said the evidence shows Livelsberger acted alone in the ‘stunt’ and was ‘thoughtfully prepared’. Spencer Evans, who leads the FBI’s Las Vegas division also added during the press briefing that Livelsberger was not on their radar prior to the explosion.
