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By Khaleda Rahman and Monica Sager
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The person driving the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump's hotel in Las Vegas has been named by news outlets as active-duty U.S. Army soldier Matthew Livelsberger.
Two law enforcement officials identified the man inside the pickup truck that blew up outside Trump International Hotel about 8:40 a.m. local time, the Associated Press reported.
Three U.S. officials told AP that Livelsberger spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina now called Fort Liberty that is home to Army special forces command. The officials also spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of his service.
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The suspect in the New Orleans New Year's Day truck attack that killed at least 15 people, U.S. Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, also spent time at Fort Bragg. One official told AP so far there is no overlap in their assignments at the base.
Newsweek could not immediately verify the information. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Colorado Springs Police Department have been contacted for comment via phone and email.
Livelsberger lived in Colorado Springs, local TV station KOAA and the New York Post said, citing unnamed law enforcement sources.
The FBI said Thursday in a post on X, formerly Twitter, it was "conducting law enforcement activity" at a Colorado Springs home in relation to Wednesday's explosion.
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The Context
Authorities said one person died inside the truck and seven more suffered from minor injuries due to the fire that erupted in the hotel's valet area about 8:40 a.m. local time. Firework mortars and camp fuel canisters were later found stuffed into the back.
The truck explosion came hours after a driver rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans' busy French Quarter early on New Year's Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot dead by police. That crash is being investigated as an act of terrorism and police believe the driver was not acting alone.
Police have not, at time of publication, ruled out a link between the two incidents.
What To Know
Investigators continue to assess possible motives, including political, for the Cybertruck blast and whether or not it is linked to the New Orleans attack that same day.
"This is a Tesla truck, and we know that Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump, and it's the Trump Tower," Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters Wednesday when asked about possible connections. "So there's obviously things to be concerned about and it's something we continue to look at."
McMahill said Wednesday that authorities believe the Cybertruck blast to be an "isolated incident," but have not ruled out a link to the New Orleans attack.
The Cybertruck, as well as the vehicle used in the New Orleans attack, was rented via the app Turo.
Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the car was rented through the app in Colorado and the driver had arrived in Las Vegas about 7:30 a.m. on January 1, driving through the Las Vegas Strip before reaching the hotel where the explosion occurred.
"We are heartbroken by the violence perpetrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and our prayers are with the victims and families," a Turo spokesperson told Newsweek. "We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents."
Video footage shared on social media showed the moment the Cybertruck exploded outside the hotel, which has 64 stories and is located near popular attractions like the Las Vegas Strip and the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping mall.
Police have suggested the Cybertruck had helped limit the blast's radius.
Showing reporters video footage of the aftermath at a press briefing on Wednesday, Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said, "it looks like the exterior of the truck is completely in tact.
"The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside the valet."
Musk's pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC, shared footage of the back of the Cybertruck in a Fox News segment that included commentary saying, "The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet, because it had most of the blast go up, through the truck and out...The front glass doors at the Trump hotel were not even broken."
What People Are Saying
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, on X: "We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion."
Musk said in a follow-up post: "Law enforcement currently believes it was most likely intentional." He also said in a previous post that Tesla has "never seen anything like this."
Jeremy Schwartz, acting FBI Special Agent in Charge for the Las Vegas office, at a news conference: "I know you have a lot of questions." He added, "We don't have a lot of answers."
Eric Trump, one of the executive vice presidents of the Trump Organization, on X: "Earlier today, a reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas. The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism."
Former first lady Melania Trump, on X: "The incidents of violence that have impacted our communities are deeply concerning. The brutality must stop. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families who are experiencing such profound grief and loss. Let us strive for a future where peace prevails."
What's Next
The Las Vegas Police Department said it is investigating the fire and explosion. At Wednesday's news conference, Jeremy Schwartz, the acting FBI special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office, confirmed that the FBI is also involved in the investigation.
Update 2/1/24, 11:22 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with further details reported by the Associated Press.
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