LAS VEGAS — Authorities reported Thursday that a highly decorated Army soldier, found inside a Tesla Cybertruck filled with explosives that detonated outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head moments before the explosion.
The blast injured seven individuals, causing minimal damage to the hotel. Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that Matthew Livelsberger, a Green Beret, likely intended a more destructive attack, but the Cybertruck’s steel body absorbed much of the blast’s force.
The damage was primarily contained within the vehicle because the explosion “vented out and up,” missing the Trump hotel’s entrance, which was only a few feet away, according to the sheriff.
“The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience,” remarked Kenny Cooper, a special agent in charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators are still determining a motive.
“It’s not lost on us that it’s in front of the Trump building, that it’s a Tesla vehicle, but we don’t have information at this point that definitively tells us or suggests it was because of this particular ideology,” said Spencer Evans, the Las Vegas FBI’s special agent in charge.
A handgun was discovered near the driver, identified by officials as 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger of Colorado, who appeared to have inflicted the fatal wound himself, according to officials.
Livelsberger had recently returned from a German assignment and was on approved leave at the time of his death, a U.S. official confirmed.
According to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the ongoing investigation, interviews revealed a possible argument with his wife about relationship issues shortly before Livelsberger rented the Tesla and purchased the firearms.
Inside the vehicle, among other charred items, were a second firearm, several fireworks, a passport, military ID, credit cards, an iPhone, and a smartwatch. Authorities confirmed both firearms were legally acquired.
While the remains were severely burned, making positive identification challenging, the sheriff stated that IDs and tattoos strongly suggest the victim is Livelsberger.
Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces involved in counter-terrorism and partner training. His Army career, beginning in 2006, included numerous overseas deployments to Afghanistan (twice), Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Congo. The Army also noted his distinguished service record.
His awards included five Bronze Stars (one with a valor device), a combat infantry badge, and an Army Commendation Medal with valor.
McMahill stated that Livelsberger rented the Tesla in Denver on Saturday. He presented a map tracking the vehicle’s charging stops: Monument, Colorado (Monday); Trinidad, Colorado and three New Mexico towns along I-40 (New Year’s Eve); and three Arizona towns (Wednesday). Video footage placed the vehicle on the Las Vegas Strip around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
McMahill confirmed that charging station photos show Livelsberger driving the vehicle alone.
“We’re not aware of any other subjects involved in this particular case,” the sheriff stated.
As part of the investigation, authorities searched a townhouse in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Thursday. Neighbors described the resident as a seemingly ordinary man with a wife and baby, showing no signs of being dangerous.
Cindy Helwig, a neighbor, last saw Livelsberger about two weeks prior when he inquired about borrowing a tool to repair his SUV. She described him as “a normal guy,” and last saw his wife and baby earlier that week. She noted limited interaction amongst neighbors in their community.
The explosion of the truck, containing firework mortars and fuel canisters, occurred hours after a separate incident in New Orleans, where 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar drove a truck into a crowd in the French Quarter, killing at least 15 before being fatally shot by police. That incident is under investigation as a potential terrorist attack. The FBI announced Thursday that Jabbar is believed to have acted alone, revising an earlier statement suggesting possible accomplices.
Both Livelsberger and Jabbar served at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty) in North Carolina, home to several Army special operations units. However, an official informed the AP that their assignments did not overlap.
Chris Raia, FBI deputy assistant director, stated Thursday that investigators found “no definitive link” between the New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas explosion.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated Wednesday on X that “we have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.”
Musk recently joined Trump’s inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas on Wednesday; both attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve party in South Florida.
Musk contributed an estimated $250 million to Trump’s presidential campaign. He attended Trump’s election night gathering and is a frequent visitor. Trump appointed Musk, the world’s richest man, to co-lead a new initiative focused on reducing government size and spending.
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