On New Year’s Day 2025, a Tesla Cybertruck caught fire on the side of the road in front of the Trump International Hotel in downtown Las Vegas, reported The Blast, killing its driver and injuring seven others. The act, which is under investigation to determine if it was a terror attack, has attracted many media houses because of the timing and place.
Incident Overview
The explosion occurred around 7:30 AM after the Cybertruck got to the hotel. Several individuals interviewed said that they heard several explosions; one of them said he heard three explosions. The early probe showed that the vehicle containing the body carried fireworks and gas cylinders believed to be the cause of the blast. The truck has a steel body and in this case, it covered most of the blast and pushed it upwards affecting fewer structures around including the hotel.
The driver was identified as Matthew Alan Livelsberger, an active-duty US Army Green Beret, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation and the report said he had a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the head. Police suspect that he used a detonating button before shooting himself dead. Next to him, the police found a handgun between his feet and his personal belongings, including military identification cards and credit cards.
🚨 JUST IN: The alleged Las Vegas Cybertruck Bomber reach out to ex-girlfriends “excited” about renting a Cybertruck, per the Gazette
“I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It’s the shıt. I feel like Batman or halo,” he texted one of his ex-girlfriends on Sunday.
He also sent her photos… pic.twitter.com/nmGGd2Omt0
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 3, 2025
Investigative Developments
Currently, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI are conducting a very detailed investigation around the event. Sheriff Kevin McMahill confirmed that the vehicle was rented from Turo through Livelsberger and was in Colorado earlier that day before driving to Las Vegas. Security cameras recorded him driving by the hotel an hour before the blast and returning at the moment of the explosion and pulling up to the venue’s entrance.
Tesla’s head, Elon Musk has not been unresponsive to investigators’ requests; he provided video from Tesla-charging stations that pinpointed Livelsberger’s path. He said that all telemetry of the vehicle before the explosion was satisfactory and this ruled out any option that pointed at the Cybertruck as a faulty truck.
Authorities are also looking into whether this was related to another attack in New Orleans the same day in which a driver plowed into a crowded area, killing 15. Authorities have directed their attention to the possibility that the two incidents could be related saying that the drivers could even have the same or similar motive. Both suspects were said to have links with the military, Livelsberger having been a member of ‘the Green Berets’ and the man in New Orleans, recently discharged from service.
Community Response and Security Measures
The attack has led to increased security alerts on Trump properties that are usually targets of protests and threats. As a result of this event, police departments are enhancing their observance of individuals who they believe pose a threat to the general society. Two gunmen tried to assassinate the United States president: Biden has been informed of the situation and stressed that federal investigators are working on attempts to establish a link between these violent acts.
Eyewitnesses who were around during the explosion said the environment was drastically filled with so much smoke. Some surveyed described feeling panic as they escaped from other facilities. The commendable response of the emergency services in dealing with the situation helped concern citizens and all those involved had minor injuries only.
Conclusion
While conducting investigations, interest is still based on figuring out whether Livelsberger had any ulterior motive, participating in terrorist activities, or otherwise. The Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion reminds us of present-day security issues in the common areas, and more so areas associated with personalities like Donald Trump. The community will now undergo the natural progression of challenging this upsetting occurrence while keeping an eye out for more threats to come.
