A rented Tesla Cybertruck became the center of a terrorism investigation after a fiery explosion rocked the entrance of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
According to CBS News, the Wednesday morning explosion killed one person, identified as Matthew Alan Livelsberger, a 37-year-old U.S. Army Special Forces intelligence sergeant, and left seven others with minor injuries in what authorities are investigating as a possible act of terrorism.
The Clark County Coroner confirmed Livelsberger as the driver, revealing that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before the vehicle detonated. FBI investigators discovered his military ID, passport, credit cards, and multiple firearms in the wreckage of the 2024 model Cybertruck, which had been rented in Colorado.
Livelsberger, who was stationed in Germany but on leave in Colorado during the incident, had served as a drone operator at Fort Carson. His father reported their last conversation on Christmas Day was normal, describing his son as a devoted father with no apparent signs of distress.
Law enforcement officials discovered gasoline canisters, camp fuel containers, and large firework mortars in the Cybertruck's cargo area. The explosion occurred approximately 15 seconds after the vehicle pulled up to the hotel's entrance at 8:40 a.m., though the exact ignition mechanism remains unclear.
FBI agent Jeremy Schwartz emphasized at a news conference that there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community, stating, "We do not believe that there's a bunch of folks out there supporting this or helping this."
The Las Vegas incident occurred hours after a deadly attack in New Orleans, where another military serviceman drove a truck into crowds on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people. Both perpetrators had served in Afghanistan, though officials found no direct connection between their deployments.
Both vehicles were rented through the carsharing app Turo, prompting the company to release a statement about cooperating with law enforcement. The company noted that neither renter had shown criminal background, which would have flagged them as security risks.
The incident has drawn additional attention due to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's close ties to former President Trump, with Musk recently becoming a major donor and adviser. Musk addressed the incident on social media platform X:
The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. Will post more information as soon as we learn anything. We've never seen anything like this.
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley announced increased security measures throughout the city, with enhanced police presence on the Strip and downtown areas for the following days. The 64-story Trump International Hotel was evacuated during the investigation.
The FBI's counterintelligence division continues to investigate potential connections between the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks, though Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia stated no definitive link has been established. President Biden confirmed that both law enforcement and intelligence communities are actively investigating any possible connections.
Federal agents maintained a presence at Livelsberger's Colorado Springs townhome since Wednesday evening, conducting searches related to the explosion. The investigation remains focused on understanding the motivations behind the incident.
The Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has been determined to be an isolated incident carried out by Matthew Alan Livelsberger, an Army Special Forces intelligence sergeant. The incident occurred on January 2, 2025, resulting in the perpetrator's death by suicide and seven minor injuries. While initially investigated as a potential act of terrorism, FBI investigators are treating it as a lone incident, with ongoing investigations at both the blast site and the subject's Colorado residence seeking to understand the motivations behind this violent act.
