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Tesla Cybertruck explosion suspect Matthew Livelsberger and the driver of the truck that plowed into crowds in New Orleans on New Year's Day, both served at the same U.S. Army base, officials told The Associated Press.
Livelsberger and terror attack suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar also both served in Afghanistan in 2009, police confirmed today.
"We don't have any evidence that they were in the same province, the same location or the same unit, again something else that remains under investigation," Sheriff Kevin McMahill said.
Livelsberger, a decorated member of the Green Berets, had previously spent time at Fort Liberty base, in North Carolina, formerly known as Fort Bragg. The huge military base is home to Army Special Forces command.
U.S. Army veteran Jabbar, who drove his truck into a crowd in New Orleans, killing at least 14 people, was also once stationed at Fort Bragg, the officials said.
Jabbar and Livelsberger's assignments at the base did not overlap, officials told AP.
"It's a very large military base, we have no records they served in the same unity, or even in the same years," McMahill said.
Livelsberger was stationed in Germany but was on approved leave during the Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day.
Newsweek has reached out to Fort Bragg for comment via telephone and email.
Newsweek's live blog is closed.
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:52 PM EST
‘He was a normal guy,’ say Livelsberger neighbors
Neighbors of the Colorado Springs, Colorado, townhouse, believed to belong to Matthew Livelsberger, have described him as a regular guy who didn't show any danger signs.
Cindy Helwig, who lives diagonally across the street from the house, which was searched by authorities this morning, said she'd last seen her neighbor, who she knew as Matthew, around two weeks when he asked if he she had a tool he needed to fix his SUV.
"He was a normal guy," she told AP, adding that he lived there with wife and baby. The family didn't interact much with the community.
Keni Mac added that she had seen him around the neighborhood and he had seemed "even keeled."
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:46 PM EST
Tesla stock slides after Cybertruck blast, will it hurt Musk’s business?
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The Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day was followed on Thursday by Tesla's release of its fourth-quarter delivery numbers and a drop in its stock price.
The news adds to a challenging start to the year for Tesla, as the Cybertruck, launched with much fanfare in late 2023, has struggled to meet investors' high expectations.
The company's disappointing delivery numbers were reflected in the stock's performance, with Tesla shares dropping 5 percent at Thursday's market opening.
The broader electric vehicle market is also presenting challenges. Higher interest rates and economic uncertainty are pushing consumers toward cheaper hybrids, while traditional automakers are ramping up EV production, increasing competition in key markets like the U.S., Europe and China. Tesla remains the market leader but is under pressure to update its aging product lineup.
Read in full from Jesus Mesa on Newsweek.
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:32 PM EST
Elon Musk may sue over Tesla coverage after Cybertruck explosion
Elon Musk suggested he might take legal action against news outlets following reports about the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day.
The incident left one person inside the truck dead and seven others injured. The driver of the Cybertruck died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound before the vehicle exploded, authorities said.
The Cybertruck explosion sparked debates about Tesla's safety standards, which Musk vehemently defended while criticizing suggestions that the explosion was caused by a malfunction.
The news adds to a challenging start to the year for Tesla, as the Cybertruck, launched with much fanfare in late 2023, has struggled to meet investors' high expectations.
Read in full from Jesus Mesa on Newsweek.
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:19 PM EST
Who are the Green Berets?
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The Green Berets are America's highly-trained Special Forces who specialize in counter terrorism, guerilla warfare and psychological tactics.
They were founded in 952, during the early days of the Cold War, with the aim of working with resistance groups in case of a Soviet takeover of Western Europe.
Since then, they've operated in war zones from Vietnam to Afghanistan, and in some of the U.S. military's most sensitive missions.
Training includes the grueling, three-week Special Forces Assessment and Selection at North Carolina's Fort Liberty base, formerly known as Fort Bragg.
Their name stems from their unusual choice of headwear.
The U.S. Army Special Forces had unofficially adopted green berets - which had previously been awarded to top U.S. Army Rangers upon completing commando school in Scotland during the Second World War, History.com reports.
In 1961, they were formally adopted into the uniform at the request of President John F. Kennedy.
Livelsberger was a member of the Green Berets and rose up the ranks to become an Army Special Forces operations master sergeant.
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:04 PM EST
Inside the military career of Matthew Livelsberger
The suspect in the Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel was a highly decorated soldier who served in the Green Berets.
Matthew Livelsberger joined the Army in 2006, rising through the ranks to become an Army Special Forces operations master sergeant, a senior enlisted rank, to U.S. officials told Associated Press.
He was deployed in Afghanistan twice and served in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo.
Livelsberger was on active duty in Germany with the 10th Special Forces Group but had been granted leave during the time of the incident.
During his nearly two-decade military career, the 37-year-old was awarded five Bronze Stars, including one with valor for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor.
Jan 02, 2025 at 04:52 PM EST
Matthew Livelsberger photo appears to show pro-Ukraine support
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A post on social media shows Matthew Livelsberger appearing to show support for Ukraine in a 2016 photograph.
Livelsberger is suspected of blowing himself up inside a Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day
Investigators are currently working to try and determine whether the Las Vegas attack could be politically motivated. One person was killed in the attack, believed to be the person behind the wheel of the vehicle that exploded.
Read in full from Marni Rose McFall on Newsweek.
Jan 02, 2025 at 04:37 PM EST
Biden has been updated on Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion
President Joe Biden was updated on the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion and the New Orleans terror attack during a national security meeting Thursday.
"The President directed his team to continue to make every resource available to federal, state, and local law enforcement so they can complete their investigations as quickly as possible," the White House said in a statement.
Vice President Kamala Harris and homeland security also attended the briefings.
Jan 02, 2025 at 04:23 PM EST
WATCH: Moment Cybertruck explodes outside Trump’s Las Vegas hotel
Jan 02, 2025 at 04:13 PM EST
Trump blames ‘open borders’ for violent crime after Cybertruck explosion
President-elect Donald Trump has claimed that President Joe Biden's border and immigration policies are to blame for violent crime and terrorism in the U.S.
Trump, who has pledged to carry out mass deportations when he returns to office, took aim at Biden after the terror attack in New Orleans and Cybertruck explosion outside one of his Las Vegas hotels.
"With the Biden 'Open Border's Policy' I said, many times during Rallies, and elsewhere, that Radical Islamic Terrorism, and other forms of violent crime, will become so bad in America that it will become hard to even imagine or believe," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
"That time has come, only worse than ever imagined. Joe Biden is the WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA, A COMPLETE AND TOTAL DISASTER. What he and his group of Election Interfering "thugs" have done to our Country will not soon be forgotten! MAGA."
Jan 02, 2025 at 02:58 PM EST
Both Livelsberger and New Orleans suspect served in Afghanistan in 2009
Both Matthew Livelsberger and New Orleans terror attack suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar both served in Afghanistan in 2009, police confirmed today.
"We don't have any evidence that they were in the same province, the same location or the same unit, again something else that remains under investigation," Sheriff Kevin McMahill said.
He confirmed that Livelsberger and Jabbar were also both stationed at Fort Bragg.
"It's a very large military base, we have no records they served in the same unity, or even in the same years," he said.
Livelsberger was on active duty with the U.S. Army. He was typically stationed in Germany but was on approved leave.
In the U.S. he was typically stationed at Fort Carlson, Colorado.
Jan 02, 2025 at 02:52 PM EST
Matthew Livelsberger comparison with Luigi Mangione takes off online
A social media video posted online by the creator Nimay Ndolo comparing the Cybertruck explosion suspect with the alleged UnitedHealthcare shooter Luigi Mangione has gone viral.
In December, Luigi Mangione captured America's attention after he allegedly shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Many online users were sympathetic to him and he quickly became the subject of a social media frenzy, with the case has prompting fresh discourse about healthcare in America.
Matthew Livelsberger has been named by local media as the suspect found dead inside an explosives-filled Tesla Cybertruck which blew up outside President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel on Wednesday, New Year's Day 2025.
In the viral social media video, Ndolo says: "Someone just parked a Cybertruck full of fireworks in front of the Trump hotel in Las Vegas. They put the fireworks in the car and set them off on purpose. 2025 isn't a full day old."
She adds: "It also hasn't even been 30 days since Luigi pulled his big one. And now someone else has popped out in a Tesla in front of the Trump hotel and made the Tesla go 'gba'."
She then says: "America spent all last month developing class consciousness. They also spent last month developing an assassin kink."
Jan 02, 2025 at 02:47 PM EST
Suspect was so badly burned police still cannot confirm ‘100%’ identity
Sheriff Kevin McMahill said that the body of the suspect in the Cybertruck explosion was so badly burned that officers still don't have "100% confirmation" of his identity.
McMahill said investigators believe the suspect is Matthew Livelsberger.
Several IDs were found in the vehicle that belong to Livelsberger, and the sheriff said that remnants of a tattoo also match that of the 37-year-old Green Beret.
However, his remains were "burned beyond recognition" in the explosion so police are waiting on DNA testing or Livelsberger's medical records to confirm.
Jan 02, 2025 at 02:42 PM EST
Suspect was found with military ID, passport and gun in Cybertruck
Officers found several pieces of identification on the body of Matthew Livelsberger, as well as a 50 caliber semi-automatic Desert Eagle pistol.
Jan 02, 2025 at 02:39 PM EST
Police were delayed removing body from Cybertruck as it was ‘burned beyond recognition’
Police said they were not able to remove the suspect from the Cybertruck "for a very long period of time" because he was "burned beyond recognition."
Matthew Livelsberger's body was in the Tesla truck when the explosion was triggered.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill said they believe he shot himself in the head prior to the explosion.
Jan 02, 2025 at 02:30 PM EST
Sheriff thanks Elon Musk for help with investigation
Sheriff Kevin McMahill said thanked Tesla CEO Elon Musk today, who had provided "quite a bit of additional information" for the investigation.
Musk had reportedly provided to the police, video from Tesla charging stations to help them track the driver.
"I have to thank Elon Musk specifically," McMahill added.
Jan 02, 2025 at 02:24 PM EST
Suspect in Las Vegas Cybertruck attack believed to have shot himself before explosion
The suspect in Las Vegas Cybertruck attack is believed to have shot himself before the explosion, police said Thursday.
Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said that a handgun was found at the feet of Matthew Livelsberger.
He was found with what they believed was a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
Jan 02, 2025 at 01:33 PM EST
Homeland Security warned over threat of ‘lone wolf’ attacks last month
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned about the threat of 'lone wolf' attacks last month, CNN reports.
A joint bulletin from the DHS, FBI, and the National Counterterrorism Center was issued to law enforcement across the country, to highlight potential threats.
It warned that individuals acting alone posed the greatest threat to "soft targets" in the U.S. during the holidays.
"Lone offenders have historically used simple tactics, such as edged weapons, firearms, or vehicle ramming, due to their ease of access, ability to inflict mass casualties, and lack of required training," the bulletin read.
Jan 02, 2025 at 12:57 PM EST
Both the Cybertruck suspect and New Orleans driver served at Fort Bragg army base
The Tesla Cybertruck explosion suspect and the driver of the truck that plowed into crowds in New Orleans, both served at Fort Bragg Army base, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
Matthew Livelsberger, the suspect in the Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas, was an active-duty Army member who spent time at the huge Army base formerly known as Fort Bragg, now called Fort Liberty, in North Carolina. It 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.
U.S. Army veteran, Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, who drove his truck into a crowd in New Orleans, killing at least 15 people in what has been branded a terrorist attack, also served at Fort Bragg.
Jabbar and Livelsberger's assignments at the base did not overlap, officials told AP.
Jan 02, 2025 at 12:01 PM EST
‘No definitive link’ between New Orleans attack and Trump hotel blast, FBI says
The FBI said today that there was "no definitive link" between the New Orleans terror attack and the Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas.
Jan 02, 2025 at 11:08 AM EST
Cybertruck not enough to juice Tesla’s 2024 sales
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Tesla's Cybertruck, launched with significant fanfare in late 2023, has not quite provided the expected sales boost that investors had hoped for, leaving the company just short of the 515,000 units needed for the quarter to surpass 2023's full-year total.
For the first time in a decade, Tesla's annual sales declined in 2024 after years of rapid growth.
Tesla shares slumped by a further five percent at the market open on Thursday, one day after the Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day, left one dead.
Tesla's flat delivery numbers reflect a maturing electric vehicle market where growth is no longer guaranteed. Higher interest rates and economic uncertainty have made consumers more cautious, steering some toward cheaper hybrid options. Meanwhile, traditional automakers ramping up EV production have intensified competition in key markets such as the U.S., Europe, and China.
Read in full from Jesus Mesa on Newsweek.
Jan 02, 2025 at 10:55 AM EST
Tesla CEO Elon Musk says Cybertruck was ‘wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack’
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the "evil knuckleheads" behind the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel picked the "wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack."
Musk said the truck had "actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards."
"Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken."
Jan 02, 2025 at 10:40 AM EST
FBI confirms home search in Colorado Springs connected to Cybertruck explosion
The FBI has confirmed that a search carried out at a residential home in Colorado Springs, is connected with Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas.
In a statement on X, the FBI said it was working with the ATF and Colorado Springs Police, and would be "on-site or several hours."
"This activity is related to the explosion in Las Vegas on Wednesday."
Suspect Matthew Livelsberger reportedly had several Colorado Springs addresses associated to him, KOAA reports.
Jan 02, 2025 at 10:21 AM EST
Trump calls U.S. a ‘laughing stock’ after New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks
President-elect Donald Trump branded the U.S. a "disaster" after the Tesla Cybertuck explosion outside his Vegas hotel, and the New Orleans terror attack took place within hours of each other.
Trump blasted Democrats who, he claimed, had allowed "violent scum" to infiltrate the country.
"Our country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the world," he posted on his Truth Social platform.
"This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership.
"The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job. They are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself."
Jan 02, 2025 at 09:56 AM EST
Turo say there was ‘no signs’ that indicated Cybertruck renter was a threat
In a statement to Newsweek, the peer-to-peer car rental service said neither the customer who rented the Cybertruck used in Las Vegas, or the truck used in the New Orleans attack, showed any signs of being a security threat.
The statement in full:
"We are heartbroken by the violence perpetrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and our prayers are with the victims and families. We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents.
"We do not believe that either renter involved in the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards in risk management, thanks to our world-class trust and safety technologies and teams that include experienced former law enforcement professionals."
Jan 02, 2025 at 09:38 AM EST
Firework mortars and gas cannisters stuffed inside Tesla
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Firework mortars and camp fuel canisters were found stuffed into the back of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Video shown at a news conference yesterday revealed the charred fireworks, cannisters and other explosive devices that were in the back of the truck.
Elon Musk said 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."
Jan 02, 2025 at 09:21 AM EST
Are New Orleans attack and Cybertruck explosion linked? What we know
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Authorities are exploring whether there is a connection between a vehicle explosion outside a Las Vegas hotel owned by President-elect Donald Trump and a vehicle attack on pedestrians in New Orleans.
The FBI has been contacted by Newsweek for comment via email
The two incidents occurred just hours apart on New Year's Day and have raised concerns about potential attacks in other major U.S. cities.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has, "out of an abundance of caution" increased the presence of the New York Police Department at locations across the city, "including at Trump Tower and in Times Square," he said on X.
Authorities said a driver rammed a truck into a crowd of revelers in New Orleans' bustling French Quarter at around 3:15 a.m. on New Year's Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot dead by police. The crash is being investigated as a terrorist attack and police believe the driver was not acting alone.
Hours later, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel just off the Last Vegas Strip, killing a suspect inside the vehicle and sparking an investigation into whether it was an act of terrorism.
Read in full from Khaleda Rahman on Newsweek.
Jan 02, 2025 at 09:08 AM EST
Matthew Livelsberger military record: Cybertruck suspect was Green Beret
The person suspected of blowing themselves up inside a Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day has been named by local networks as 37-year-old Army Special Forces veteran Matthew Livelsberger, though this has not been officially confirmed.
One person, believed to be the driver, died and another seven sustained light injuries when the explosion rocked the Cybertruck in the hotel's valet area at around 8:40 a.m. local time. Police said they recovered gasoline tanks, camping fuel and fireworks mortars from the vehicle.
Newsweek contacted the Los Vegas Police Department and the FBI for comment via telephone and email respectively on Thursday outside of regular office hours.
KOAA News reported that a property linked to Livelsberger on the east side of Colorado Springs was being searched by FBI agents. According to the Daily Mail, Livelsberger previously served at the same military base as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the New Orleans attacker.
Read in full from James Bickerton on Newsweek.
Jan 02, 2025 at 07:57 AM EST
What Is Turo? App Used to Rent the New Orleans and Las Vegas Vehicles
As we've been hearing, authorities have confirmed that both the Cybertruck which exploded outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas and the Ford pickup truck which ploughed into a crowd in New Orleans on New Year's Day were rented via an app called Turo. So what exactly is it?
Turo is a San Francisco-based car rental company that helps people rent their private vehicles.
It describes itself as the world's largest car sharing marketplace, allowing prospective renters to browse cars by make and destination in cities throughout the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia and France.
It advertises itself as an alternative to using car rental services. Instead, renters can search available cars in requested areas and rent them at prices set by the car owners.
The rentals can be booked online or via a phone app that allows direct communication between owners and renters.
In its list of policies, Turo mentions that it "does not endorse any vehicle, user, or a user's background, or commit to undertake any specific screening process."
It also adds that "Turo may, but does not commit to, undertake efforts to ensure the safety of vehicles shared through the Services."
Jan 02, 2025 at 07:46 AM EST
Suspect Mathew Livelsberger Pictured
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Three social media accounts appear linked to the suspect: a LinkedIn account under the name Matt Livelsberger, a Facebook account linked to a Matt Berg, and a Facebook account linked to what appears to be a wife or girlfriend of Livelsberger, named Sara Livelsberger.
Photographs from the Facebook account show a man attending music concerts, holidaying in Puerto Rico and spending time with dogs.
The LinkedIn profile also lists that he was interested in human rights and animal welfare.
The Army veteran appeared to be active on the site, and often commented on posts from colleagues in the military. In a comment on one post about student debt, he responded to a question asking who was responsible for debts saying, "The govt."
Newsweek has not been able to independently verify the veracity of these accounts.
Although all three of the profiles have been shared on social media, there are discrepancies. The Matt Berg profile has a different surname, and the man in the pictures on the profile looks different from the man in the pictures on the Matt Livelsberger LinkedIn account, and the Sara Livelsberger Facebook page.
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Jan 02, 2025 at 07:37 AM EST
Social Media Account Linked to Suspect’s Wife Shared anti-Trump Posts
More now on Matthew Livelsberger...
A social media account under the name Sara Livelsberger has been linked to the suspect in the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion, Matthew Livelsberger.
A post on Sara Livelsberger's Facebook page from 2015 reads: "It is my old ass husbands's 28th birthday!" This aligns with Livelsberger's reported age of 37 now taken from a LinkedIn which appears to be a match for the named suspect.
The Facebook account posted many pictures of Matt Livelsberger, and many posts spoke about their relationship. The last post on this account was from May, 2016. As such, it is unclear whether Sara Livelsberger, who appeared to be the wife or girlfriend of Matt Livelsberger, is still connected to him.
The account shared in 2016 a poster with the silhouette of now President-elect Donald Trump, and the words "Stop Bigotry" written on it in 2016
Another post read: "Look what this lady got in the mail as a SURPRISE! Perks of being a registered Democrat."
"I can't wait to slap this baby on my truck," it added.
In 2016, she has also posted anti-Trump related content on her Facebook feed, including a reshare of a post by the account Funny or Die, that was encouraging people to yell "f**k" to find "election relief" when having to "face the fact that Donald Trump might be your next president."
On the reshare, she commented, "This is way too much" with laughing emojis.
The account once also reposted in 2016 a video of Bernie Sanders, a former Democrat presidential primary candidate, appearing at an art show, writing "art and Bernie, two of my favorite things!"
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:52 AM EST
New Orleans and Las Vegas Vehicles Both Rented via Turo
The vehicles used in the two incidents that happened on New Year's Day in New Orleans and Las Vegas were both rented from Turo, the company has said.
The San Francisco-based company's car-sharing app enables private car owners to rent out their vehicles.
In a statement, Turo wrote, "It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that this morning's horrific attack in New Orleans and this afternoon's Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas both involved vehicles rented on Turo. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families."
The company added in its statement: "We do not believe that either renter had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat, and we are not currently aware of any information that indicates the two incidents are related."
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:33 AM EST
Is Matthew Livelsberger Linked to Shamsud-Din Jabbar?
Livelsberger served at the same base as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect in a New Orleans truck attack, according to Denver-based station KMGH.
Newsweek is working to verify this report.
Investigators said on Wednesday that possible links between the New Orleans attack and explosion in Las Vegas, both on New Year's Day, were not being ruled out.
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Jan 02, 2025 at 05:31 AM EST
Who Is Matthew Livelsberger?
Details are quickly beginning to emerge about Matthew Livelsberger.
The 37-year-old is a U.S. Army veteran who had multiple addresses in Colorado Springs, according to local station KOAA.
A Linkedin profile of the same name shows Livelsberger had been in the army for 19 years, 18 of which were with the Special Forces.
His most recent role was listed as a Remote and Autonomous Systems Manager, which had been in for three months.
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:20 AM EST
Matthew Livelsberger Identified as Suspect in Cybertruck explosion
Breaking news...
Matthew Livelsberger has been identified as the suspect found dead in the Cybertruck, Colorado Springs station KOAA and The New York Post report citing unnamed law enforcement sources.
Jan 02, 2025 at 05:02 AM EST
Is Cybertruck attack linked to ISIS?
Police are still investigating a possible motive for the Cybertruck attack, including political or ideological, and whether it was linked to the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans.
The Las Vegas explosion happened hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran and US citizen from Texas, drove a pick-up truck with an Islamic State (ISIS) flag in the back into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, in New Orleans, killing 15 and injuring at least another 35 people.
The FBI does not believe Jabbar was "solely responsible" for the attack, which is being investigated as a terrorist attack, assistant special agent Alethea Duncan told reporters on Wednesday.
Asked at Wednesday's media conference if there was any links between the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas and ISIS, Sheriff Kevin McMahill said: "We don't have any indication of that here in Las Vegas, there was no ISIS flag as was seen in New Orleans."
Jan 02, 2025 at 04:40 AM EST
Cybertruck limited the blast, police say
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."
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He added that this was because the Cybertruck "had most of the blast go up through the truck and out," meaning that the front glass doors of the Trump hotel were not broken by the explosion.
Jan 02, 2025 at 04:33 AM EST
Cybertuck Explosion: What We Know so Far
- Approximately 8:40 a.m. local time, an explosion erupted in the back of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel
- One person died, the driver of the Cybertruck, and seven more were injured. Officials said the injuries were minor
- The person who rented the vehicle has been identified by the police
- Gasoline tanks, camping fuel and large firework mortars were found in the back of the vehicle
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said on X on Wednesday: "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."
- The Cybertruck was rented from Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas about 7:30 a.m., Las Vegas police said
- The police have said that they believe there is no longer a threat to the public in the area
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