Authorities have confirmed that Matthew Alan Livelsberge, a 37-year-old active-duty US special forces soldier was the man behind the Tesla Cybertruck explosion that occurred outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day.
Livelsberger, who shot himself before the blast, rented the vehicle in Colorado and drove it over 800 miles to the incident site.
According to Las Vegas police, the Cybertruck was filled with fuel canisters and firework mortars.
Livelsberger parked the vehicle near the hotel’s glass entrance, where it started to smoke before exploding.
The vertical blast contained by the truck’s design, resulted in minor injuries to seven people but the hotel’s glass doors and windows remained intact.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Livelsberger’s cause of death was suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound.
His charred remains were found inside the vehicle, along with items including, Two semi-automatic pistols, Fireworks, Military ID, Passport, Credit cards, An iPhone and smartwatch**
Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that Livelsberger’s tattoos helped identify him, and Tesla’s charging technology tracked his route from Denver to Las Vegas.
He was the only occupant of the vehicle throughout the journey.
The sheriff confirmed that the blast was not linked to any terrorist group but was consistent with a suicide bombing..
“I’m comfortable calling it a suicide with a bombing that occurred immediately after” McMahill said during a press conference.
Authorities noted similarities between the Las Vegas explosion and a truck attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day that left 14 people dead.
Both suspects served at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, had military experience in Afghanistan in 2009, rented their vehicles through Turo.
However, investigators found no evidence that the two suspects knew each other or served in the same unit.
Livelsberger had an extensive military career, serving in both the US Army and National Guard.
He was a Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant with multiple decorations. At the time of the incident, he was on approved leave from his station in Germany to visit his wife and eight-month-old daughter in Colorado.
His father told CBS News that their last conversation took place during Christmas and there were no signs of distress.
The US military and Las Vegas authorities have assured the public that there is no ongoing threat related to the incident.
Sheriff McMahill reiterated that Livelsberger acted alone and that the investigation would continue to explore possible motives for the attack.
The tragic incident has raised questions about mental health support for military personnel and the need for better measures to prevent such attacks.
