Tesla Cybertruck explodes in front of Trump Tower, Las Vegas - Terrorism Investigation

[brihard]

Somewhat drowned out by the news from New Orleans, police are investigating a possible act of terrorism at Trump Tower in Las Vegas,.

• This morning, a Tesla cybertruck pulled in to the front and exploded while still occupied.
• Driver is dead.
• Vehicle had a load of fireworks onboard.
• Minor injuries to bystanders.
• Police are treating this as possibly criminal and possibly terrorism.
• Nothing reported as of yet of any suspected connection to New Orleans, though obviously this will be an investigative avenue for FBI.

The unintended cover photo for 2025:


Video of the explosion:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1874542138136150352

ABC story with the details I listed above:

Police treating vehicle explosion at Trump Las Vegas hotel as possible act of terror: Official

Authorities are investigating a vehicle explosion and fire outside of Trump Las Vegas in Nevada.

abcnews.go.com

 

[ArmyRick]

Whoa!

 

[The Bread Guy]

Lotta layers to that incident pastry, indeed.

 

[lenaitch]

Lotta layers to that incident pastry, indeed.

Indeed. Trump. Musk.

On the other hand, from what I have read about the Cybertruck, that could simply be Tuesday.

 

[dapaterson]

Indeed. Trump. Musk.

On the other hand, from what I have read about the Cybertruck, that could simply be Tuesday.

Look, you didn't pay for the over-the-air "Don't let my Tesla randomly explode" update, so this is on you.

 

[mariomike]

On the other hand, from what I have read about the Cybertruck, that could simply be Tuesday.

Reminds me of the infamous Pinto memo, "Cheaper to let them burn."

"BBQ that seats four."

"Incinerating people well into the 1980's."

 

[rmc_wannabe]

LiON burns like crazy, I think that may have been the preferred outcome (fireworks were probably secondaries to keep Fire and Rescue away). The fact that they didn't catch and explode is a miracle.

 

[brihard]

Associated Press is reporting the Cybertruck had been rented on the Tiro app. That’s the same app the New Orleans truck was rented on, though I gather it’s a popular app. Seems like AirBnB for vehicle rentals.

1 person dies when Tesla truck catches fire and explodes outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel

Authorities say one person died and seven others people were injured when a Tesla truck caught fire and exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel.

apnews.com

 

[lenaitch]

LiON burns like crazy, I think that may have been the preferred outcome (fireworks were probably secondaries to keep Fire and Rescue away). The fact that they didn't catch and explode is a miracle.

I was watching a press conference that included someone from LVFD and he mentioned the use of a 'fire blanket'. I had to look that up.

(promo video - there are a couple of manufacturers)

 

[OldSolduer]

Associated Press is reporting the Cybertruck had been rented on the Tiro app. That’s the same app the New Orleans truck was rented on, though I gather it’s a popular app. Seems like AirBnB for vehicle rentals.

1 person dies when Tesla truck catches fire and explodes outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel

Authorities say one person died and seven others people were injured when a Tesla truck caught fire and exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel.

apnews.com

Coincidence? Or coordinated.....

 

[brihard]

Coincidence? Or coordinated.....

Gut feel says coincidence but I have nothing more than that. I’ve heard nothing on the Cybertruck driver’s ID.

Seems quite firm that NOLA was ISIS-radicalized. Classic mass-casualty attack.

Vegas just feels really different. I could be completely wrong and I have no special insight on it.

 

[Eaglelord17]

I wonder how hot the trunk of a cybertruck filled with fireworks gets in Los Vagas. Enough to cook off fireworks?

 

[brihard]

Hooo boy. Multiple media outlets, quoting law enforcement sources, identify the Las Vegas suspect as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs.

• US Army Special Forces veteran; 18E communications and 18F intelligence specialties for a bunch of years.
• Pretty active in social media, lots of people piecing that together right now but I’ll give it time to firm up first. I’ve yet to see anything suggesting radicalization.
• No immediately clear motive, but Trump Tower and a Cybertruck, in my opinion, were likely both deliberate choices.
• Nothing yet that I’ve seen indicating a link between him and New Orleans. Both army vets, both rented electric pickup trucks over the same app. Completely different MOs and targeting, pretty apparent ISIS motivation in the first place. My gut feel is still that there’s no link. But there’s some wild coincidence there.
• IMO, pretty shitty VBIED for an SF vet.

Newsweek article with some info here:

What Matthew Livelsberger's social media reveals about Cybertruck suspect

Livelsberger, the suspect named in the Las Vegas Trump hotel explosion, was a 37-year-old army veteran from Colorado Springs.

www.newsweek.com

Believed to be his LinkedIn here, still up for now:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-livelsberger-514ab383/

 

[Booter]

Hooo boy. Multiple media outlets, quoting law enforcement sources, identify the Las Vegas suspect as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs.

• US Army Special Forces veteran; 18E communications and 18F intelligence specialties for a bunch of years.
• Pretty active in social media, lots of people piecing that together right now but I’ll give it time to firm up first. I’ve yet to see anything suggesting radicalization.
• No immediately clear motive, but Trump Tower and a Cybertruck, in my opinion, were likely both deliberate choices.
• Nothing yet that I’ve seen indicating a link between him and New Orleans. Both army vets, both rented electric pickup trucks over the same app. Completely different MOs and targeting, pretty apparent ISIS motivation in the first place. My gut feel is still that there’s no link. But there’s some wild coincidence there.
• IMO, pretty shitty VBIED for an SF vet.

Newsweek article with some info here:

What Matthew Livelsberger's social media reveals about Cybertruck suspect

Livelsberger, the suspect named in the Las Vegas Trump hotel explosion, was a 37-year-old army veteran from Colorado Springs.

www.newsweek.com

Believed to be his LinkedIn here, still up for now:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-livelsberger-514ab383/

The cybertruck part of the message was more important than the casualties. I’m sure he also knew it wasn’t a great VBIED. What the message is is the convo.

It’s clear building a bomb out of gas and fireworks isn’t going to cause great damage but it can demonstrate an idea.

 

[The Bread Guy]

.... Believed to be his LinkedIn here, still up for now:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-livelsberger-514ab383/

Archived here & here if link doesn't work.

 

[JLB50]

Despite the cybertruck his method of exiting this world seems rather unsophisticated given his training.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I would expect an Army Special Forces veteran to know how to rig improvised explosives, not an amateur attempt of fireworks and a gas can. Gas isn't explosive. The fumes are. Full can = no fumes. The blast didn't even break the windows only a few feet away. I would think if he was operating from an ISIS cell he would have had a proper IED.

And the blanket? That was for the flames. It wouldn't do a thing if it were the battery.

 

[brihard]

Police in Las Vegas gave a fantastic and quite detailed and graphic presser today. Basically confirmed everything spoken of above. It was indeed the suspect named in this thread, and he was currently serving US Army. He has previously served at Fort Bragg as well as in Afghanistan, but nothing puts him in the same place and time as the New Orleans attacker.

The huge new detail today was that the driver of the Cybertruck appears to have died from a gunshot wound to the head. A .50 Desert Eagle was found on the floor of the truck. The body was “burned beyond recognition”, but multiple pieces of ID and credit card were found consistent with the named suspect, as well as partial remaining tattoos that look like a match. So, looks like he probably rolled up, hit some sort of switch and immediately shot himself, before the Cybertruck blew up.

No clear motive yet that they’re reporting.

 

[Haggis]

Police in Las Vegas gave a fantastic and quite detailed and graphic presser today. Basically confirmed everything spoken of above. It was indeed the suspect named in this thread, and he was currently serving US Army. He has previously served at Fort Bragg as well as in Afghanistan, but nothing puts him in the same place and time as the New Orleans attacker.

The huge new detail today was that the driver of the Cybertruck appears to have died from a gunshot wound to the head. A .50 Desert Eagle was found on the floor of the truck. The body was “burned beyond recognition”, but multiple pieces of ID and credit card were found consistent with the named suspect, as well as partial remaining tattoos that look like a match. So, looks like he probably rolled up, hit some sort of switch and immediately shot himself, before the Cybertruck blew up.

No clear motive yet that they’re reporting.

This is getting weirder by the minute.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Politico is reporting that Livelsberger was a member of the 10th Special Forces Group in Germany and was on approved leave when this incident happened. He was a decorated veteran having served in Afghanistan and had been awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor. More below:

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/02/cybertruck-blast-suspect-an-active-duty-army-special-operations-soldier-00196229