Las Vegas Tesla Cybertruck explosion, New Orleans attack share common link: Both suspects US army veterans
PTC Web Desk: Two devastating incidents in the United States—a Tesla Cybertruck explosion near Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas and a deadly New Year’s rampage in New Orleans—have been connected by a significant detail: both suspects are US Army veterans.
The Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Las Vegas hotel, owned by President-elect Donald Trump, resulted in the death of the driver and left seven persons injured. Meanwhile, the New Orleans attack claimed 15 lives and injured more than 35 others.
The suspect in the Las Vegas incident has been identified as Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Army veteran and resident of Colorado. According to law enforcement sources, Livelsberger rented the Tesla Cybertruck using the vehicle-sharing app Turo in Colorado and drove it to Nevada.
At the time of the explosion, the Tesla was loaded with dangerous materials, including firework-style mortars, camping fuel, and canisters. These details have led investigators to treat the explosion as a potential act of terror. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has not ruled out the possibility of terrorism and is pursuing multiple leads.
Following the incident, FBI agents swarmed Livelsberger's known addresses in Colorado Springs, particularly a residence on Marksheffel Road, to gather evidence and understand the motive behind the explosion.
In New Orleans, a pickup truck plowed through a crowded area during New Year celebrations, killing 15 persons and injuring over 35. Reports suggest that the suspect in this attack also rented the vehicle using the Turo app, the same platform Livelsberger used to book the Tesla Cybertruck involved in the Las Vegas explosion.
Although the two incidents occurred in different states and circumstances, the use of Turo to rent vehicles has drawn a concerning link.
Federal authorities are investigating both incidents for possible connections and have yet to determine if they were coordinated acts. The FBI’s search of Livelsberger’s residence and the discovery of explosive materials in the Tesla Cybertruck have heightened suspicions of a terrorism angle in the Las Vegas explosion. Additionally, the fact that both suspects are US Army veterans has raised questions about the psychological and social factors that might have contributed to these events.
- With inputs from agencies
