US authorities announced that the person who died in the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded at the Trump hotel on January 1 was named Matthew Livelsberger, an active duty soldier of the US Army, according to Reuters. Mr. Livelsberger is 37 years old, lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Police discovered that there were many gasoline cans and a large amount of fireworks in the car. The driver shot him in the head with a gun just before the explosives in the car exploded, according to Chief Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
The handgun was found at this person’s feet. The body was burned beyond recognition and investigators had to wait for confirmation from a DNA sample. Police determined this person acted alone.
The Tesla Cybertruck exploded right at the Trump hotel
Investigators also found another semi-automatic pistol in the Cybertruck. Both guns were legally purchased by Mr. Livelsberger on December 30, 2024. In addition, law enforcement found military identification cards, passports, an iPhone and credit cards in the vehicle.
Mr. Livelsberger is a green beret on the staff of the Army Special Operations Command. He has been in the military for 19 years and spent most of that time in the special forces. He was stationed in Germany and on leave when the incident occurred.
Reuters quoted a US official as saying that Mr. Livelsberger was awarded the Bronze Star medal for courage and many other badges. He completed five combat deployments in Afghanistan.
Mr. Livelsberger’s Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas before exploding at the Trump hotel
PHOTO: SCREEN SHOTS OF THE INDEPENDENT
Page The Independentquoted Mr. Livelsberger’s uncle, Mr. Dean Livelsberger, as saying that the victim was an absolute patriot and loved the US Army.
“He often posts patriotic things on Facebook. He 100% loves this country. He loves it [Tổng thống đắc cử Donald] Trump,” the uncle said.
Mr. Dean Livelsberger also questioned the cause of the incident, saying that his nephew was a “super soldier” and could not have made such an amateur explosive device. “He could have built a bomb to destroy half of that hotel if he really wanted to harm others,” Mr. Dean said. The explosion slightly injured 7 people nearby.
McMahill police said Mr. Livelsberger was likely preparing for a more damaging attack, but the thick steel of the Cybertruck blocked most of the explosion. Damage from the explosion was mainly inside the car and did not affect the hotel doors just a few meters away.
“The complexity of the explosion is not something we would expect from someone with such military experience,” said Special Agent Kenny Cooper of the Bureau of Alcohol, Drugs, Firearms and Explosives. .
The explosion occurred a few hours after a truck driver crashed into a New Year’s crowd in New Orleans (Louisiana), killing 15 people. Authorities initially suspected the two incidents were related because both cars were rented through the same app. However, the investigation agency has confirmed that two people were involved in two independent actions. The perpetrator who crashed the car in New Orleans, named Shamsud-Din Jabbar, is a former soldier and is believed to support the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS).
