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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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Authorities are exploring whether there is a connection between the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside a Las Vegas hotel owned by President-elect Donald Trump and the vehicle attack on pedestrians in New Orleans.
The FBI has been contacted by Newsweek for comment via email.
Why It Matters
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.
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What To Know
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 Las Vegas Strip, killing a suspect inside the vehicle and sparking an investigation into whether it was an act of terrorism.
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, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the FBI was looking into whether the two incidents were connected.
The FBI identified the driver in the New Orleans attack as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a U.S. citizen from Texas and Army veteran.
Authorities have yet to confirm the identity of the suspect in the truck explosion in Las Vegas, but several news outlets have identified the person as 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger, of Colorado Springs. Like Jabbar, Livelsberger is also a U.S. citizen and Army veteran.
The two men served at the same military base, Denver 7 Investigates reported, citing unnamed sources. The outlet did not name the base in question. Newsweek is working to verify this report.
The vehicles in both incidents were rented using the Turo app. In a statement to Newsweek, a Turo spokesperson said the company does 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."
What Is Known About the Suspects?
Jabbar enlisted in the Army in 2007, working in both human resources and information technology. He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. He transferred into the U.S. Army Reserve in 2015 and left the military in 2020 with the rank of staff sergeant.
Livelsberger had been in the Army since January 2006, with the majority of his career in the Special Forces, according to a LinkedIn profile. His most recent role was listed a Remote and Autonomous Systems Manager, which had been in since November.
What People Are Saying
Mayor Adams said on X on Thursday: "After the attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas, @NYPDPC and I have been in constant communication. While there are no immediate threats to our city at this time, out of an abundance of caution, we have heightened security and have increased NYPD presence at relevant locations, including at Trump Tower and in Times Square.
"Again, while there are no credible threats at this time, we are on alert, and if you see something, say something. New Yorkers are always encouraged to report any suspicious activity or unlawful behavior by calling the NYPD at 888-NYC-SAFE or 911 in the event of an emergency."
Biden said during a press conference about the New Orleans attack on Wednesday: "We're tracking the explosion of a Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas. Law enforcement are investigating this as well, including whether there's any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans. Thus far, there's nothing to report on that score at this time."
Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters on Wednesday: "We are absolutely investigating any connectivity to what happened in New Orleans as well as other attacks that have been occurring around the world. We aren't ruling anything out."
Speaking at a news conference, FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan said on Wednesday of the New Orleans attack: "We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible."
The Turo spokesperson added in statement to Newsweek on Wednesday: "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."
What Happens Next
The FBI is the lead agency investigating the New Orleans attack and has urged anyone with information to contact its New Orleans Bureau by calling (504) 816-3000 or by emailing tips@fbi.gov.
The FBI is also investigating the Las Vegas truck explosion.
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