The driver was reportedly an army veteran, similar to the perpetrator of the New Orleans terrorist attack
Investigators have identified the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas as 37-year-old army veteran Matthew Livelsberger from Colorado Springs, several US media outlets reported on Thursday.
The explosion, which occurred on January 1, resulted in the death of Livelsberger and injured seven bystanders. The FBI has conducted searches at multiple addresses associated with Livelsberger in Colorado Springs, according to media reports.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the explosion was unrelated to the vehicle’s design or function, attributing it instead to explosive materials transported in the truck’s bed. The vehicle contained gasoline canisters and firework mortars.
The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism, especially considering its proximity to the Trump International Hotel and a similar attack in New Orleans earlier that day.
A 42-year-old US Army veteran named Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, resulting in the deaths of 15 people and injuries to at least 35 others on January 1.
Prior to the attack, Jabbar posted videos outlining his intentions and claimed to have been inspired by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).
After crashing the vehicle, he engaged in a shootout with police and was fatally shot. Authorities discovered firearms and an improvised explosive device in his truck, along with an IS flag.
The FBI is treating the incident as a terrorist act and is investigating possible accomplices.