Man who died in the Las Vegas Cybertruck probably shot himself before the explosion, authorities say
Alcides Antunes/Reuters
- Authorities believe they've identified the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside a Trump hotel.
- Matthew Alan Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs, was likely the person who died in the blast.
- Livelsberger had been an active-duty Army service member for nearly two decades, the US Army told BI.
The driver of the Tesla Cybertruck who died when it exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday has been identified as an active-duty US Army soldier, according to multiple reports, though law enforcement agents haven't yet confirmed his identity.
At a press conference on Thursday, authorities said Matthew Alan Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, rented the electric vehicle, and they've obtained evidence that he was likely behind the wheel when it blew up.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters on Thursday that the driver appeared to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound before the material in his truck exploded. McMahill said that one of the guns in the vehicle was found at the driver's feet.
McMahill also said that he would not identify the driver as Livelsberger until DNA or medical records confirm that the burned body is him.
The Associated Press, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Livelsberger was the driver.
Livelsberger was a master sergeant who served as a special-operations soldier, a US Army spokesperson said in a statement provided to Business Insider.
McMahill said that authorities found a military ID and credit cards with Livelsberger's name on them inside the Cybertruck. They have also confirmed that he rented the Tesla vehicle in Denver, Colorado, on December 28, driving through parts of New Mexico and Arizona before reaching Las Vegas.
Spencer Evans, Special Agent in charge of the Las Vegas FBI Field Office, said that the bureau has no information about any other suspects. There is also no current evidence connecting Livelsberger to any terrorist organization around the world.
There is no evidence that the Las Vegas explosion is connected with a deadly attack in New Orleans, McMahill said.
Authorities on Thursday said both Livelsberger and Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who is suspected of driving a rented truck into a crowd of people in Louisana, both served in the military and spent time together at what was then known as Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Bragg, now known as Fort Liberty, is one of the nation's largest military bases, and there is no evidence that Livelsberger and Jabbar were in the same unit.
Livelsberger served in active duty from January 2006 to March 2011, the Army spokesperson said. After a stint in the National Guard and service in the Army Reserve, Livelsberger returned to active duty in December 2012.
"US Army Special Operations Command can confirm Livelsberger was assigned to the command and on approved leave at the time of his death," the Army spokesperson said. "USASOC is in full cooperation with federal and state law enforcement agencies, but as a matter of policy, will not comment on ongoing investigations."
Livelsberger served in the Army for more than 19 years. A military official told BI that he was an operations sergeant assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group in Germany but was recently on leave at home in Colorado, the official said.
The official added that Livelsberger had a clean record, "by all accounts was great," and that this would have been "out of character" for him.
The FBI said it was searching a home in Colorado Springs in connected with the incident.
"FBI Denver personnel and specialized teams will be on-site for several hours," the bureau said in a statement to Business Insider. "This activity is related to the explosion in Las Vegas on Wednesday; due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no further information will be provided out of Denver."
The Cybertruck had been filled with firework-style mortars and canisters of camping fuel, authorities said Wednesday. The driver was the only person killed, but seven other people were injured.
The vehicle explosion occurred hours after an attacker drove a rented pickup truck through crowds on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. That attack killed 15 people and injured dozens more, and Jabbar, 42, has been identified as a suspect.
Both trucks were rented using the Turo app. Authorities in Louisana on Thursday also said the New Orleans attack appeared to be unrelated to the Cybertruck explosion.
On X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised the Cybertruck for limiting the destruction from the blast. McMahill said Musk has dispatched a team of Tesla officials to assist with the Las Vegas investigation. They are expected to arrive in Nevada Thursday afternoon.
Additional reporting by Ryan Pickrell.