UPDATE: Police confirm ‘large’ find after deadly Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Trump International Hotel
Investigators have revealed that “large firework mortars” and gas canisters were found in the back of a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day that killed one person and injured several others.
The blast is now reportedly being investigated as a possible terrorist attack, three senior law-enforcement members briefed on the matter told NBC News.
Footage of the deadly incident, captured on Wednesday morning local time, shows the Tesla-made electric vehicle bursting into a ball of flames while parked directly outside the entrance to the hotel.
A person who was inside the Cybertruck at the time died and seven others suffered minor injuries.
News station KOAA has identified the driver as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, a Colorado Springs resident. The FBI was searching a townhouse complex in east Colorado Springs’ Stetson Hills neighborhood on Wednesday night, according to KOAA.
Another video, taken from inside the hotel, shows flames pouring out of the vehicle as an alarm blares inside the building.
In a post to X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed it had been confirmed that the explosion was caused by “very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck”. He said the incident, which saw the car burst into flames, is “unrelated to the vehicle itself”.
“All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Musk said.
Investigators revealed that “large firework mortars” and gas canisters were found in the back of the vehicle.
Mr Musk went on to claim the “evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack”.
“Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken,” he said.
In another post, the Tesla founder claimed the incident “appears to be a likely act of terrorism” and suggested it could be related to the New Orleans attack, writing: “Both this Cybertruck and the F-150 suicide bomb in New Orleans were rented from Turo. Perhaps they are linked in some way.”
At least 15 people are dead and dozens more have been left injured after a man drove a pick-up truck into New Year’s revellers in the Louisiana city. It is being treated by law enforcement as an act of terrorism.
US President Joe Biden has since confirmed that authorities are probing “any possible connection” between a deadly truck-ramming attack in New Orleans and the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas.
Law enforcement are investigating the explosion of the Tesla vehicle “including whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans,” Biden told reporters, adding: “Thus far, there’s nothing to report on that score.”
Speaking at a press conference regarding the Cybertruck explosion, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill referenced the New Orleans attack but did not explicitly link the two cases.
“We’re very well aware of what has happened in New Orleans with the event that occurred there, and the number of victims there and the additional IEDs,” the sheriff said.
“So as you can imagine, with an explosion here on iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe.
“There does not appear to be any further threat to our community now.”
Mr McMahill revealed the truck had been rented in Colorado, with authorities tracing the Cybertruck through Tesla charging stations.
“I have to thank Elon Musk specifically. He gave us quite a bit of additional information in regards to how the vehicle was locked after it exploded, due to … the nature of the force from the explosion,” he said.
“[They were] able to capture all of the video from Tesla charging stations across the country.[Musk] sent that truck directly to us, so I appreciate his help on that.”
The vehicle arrived in Las Vegas at around 7.30am local time, driving up and down Las Vegas Boulevard before pulling up outside the hotel.
The explosion was reported at about 8.40am local time.
“We were told that a 2024 Cybertruck pulled up to the front of the hotel, and, in fact, I can tell you it pulled right up to the glass entrance doors of the hotel,” Mr McMahill said.
“We saw smoke start showing from the vehicle, and then an explosion from the truck occurs.”
He said authorities were investigating a “number of leads”.
Authorities have said they are not yet ready to reveal the identity of the person who died in the truck, but confirmed they do know who rented the vehicle.
“We do know who rented the truck. We are looking at that individual,” Mr McMahill said.
The hotel has since been evacuated and more guests have been moved to the nearby Resorts World Las Vegas.
Previously, Musk said the “whole Tesla senior team” was investigating the deadly incident “right now”.
“Will post more information as soon as we learn anything. We’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.
A guest who was staying at the hotel when the explosion occurred claimed the force of the blast shook the windows.
The man, who goes by Stephen Felando on X, filmed the clouds of smoke billowing below his room.
“Holy sh*t a massive explosion just happened here … Something major just exploded here at the Las Vegas Trump international,” he said.
“Something just went off in the valet section. Something just blew, the windows here shimmied and shaked. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Eric Trump released a statement on X following the incident, writing: “Earlier today, a reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas. The safety and wellbeing of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism.”
