The driver behind the deadly Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has been identified as Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Livelsberger lost his life in the fiery blast, which left seven bystanders injured. Authorities revealed the rented electric truck was packed with fireworks, gas canisters, and camping fuel when it detonated on New Year’s Day.
The vehicle, rented through the car-sharing platform Turo, was tracked from Colorado to Nevada using Tesla’s telemetry data. Federal investigators are now digging into Livelsberger’s background, with the FBI conducting searches at several Colorado Springs locations linked to the veteran. Law enforcement sources noted Livelsberger served in the military for nearly two decades, primarily with special forces. His last role was reportedly focused on autonomous systems management.
The incident has drawn comparisons to another New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, where a rented electric Ford truck was used in a devastating explosion that killed 15 and injured dozens more. Both trucks were rented through Turo, and investigators are probing a possible connection between the drivers, as Livelsberger and the New Orleans suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, reportedly served at the same military base.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk addressed the incident, emphasizing that the Cybertruck’s design minimized damage to the Trump hotel, redirecting the explosion upward and sparing the building’s lobby. Musk confirmed Tesla’s cooperation with investigators, including unlocking the vehicle remotely and providing surveillance footage from charging stations along the truck’s route.
As investigations continue, federal agencies, including the FBI and ATF, are pursuing leads across multiple states and overseas to determine whether the two New Year’s Day attacks were coordinated. President Joe Biden called the probes “fluid” and pledged to keep the public informed as more details emerge.
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