A man died from a self-inflicted gunshot before causing a Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas, authorities confirmed. The individual, identified as highly decorated Army soldier Matthew Livelsberger, reportedly intended to inflict more damage, but the explosion from the rudimentary device was largely absorbed by the vehicle’s steel sides. Investigators found a handgun near Livelsberger’s feet, as well as a second firearm, fireworks, military ID, and personal items in the truck, all legally obtained.
Though the remains have not been formally verified, identifiers such as tattoos and IDs strongly suggest the deceased is Livelsberger, a former Green Beret with a commendable military background, including two Bronze Stars. The Clark County Sheriff indicated that the explosion, while destructive, mostly affected the truck’s interior, sparing the hotel nearby. FBI agents are conducting related searches at a residence in Colorado Springs, but details are limited.
The incident follows another attack in New Orleans, where Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar drove a truck into a crowd on New Year’s Day, killing 15. Initially believed to have accomplices, it turns out Jabbar acted alone. Both Livelsberger and Jabbar spent time at Fort Liberty, but authorities have found no overlap in their assignments or direct connection between the incidents.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk clarified that the explosion was caused by fireworks or a bomb in the rented Cybertruck and was independent of the vehicle’s design. Authorities confirmed the truck was rented via an app, but declined to identify the individual who rented it. The FBI asserts no direct link exists between the Las Vegas incident and the New Orleans attack.
