In a shocking development, officials have identified the driver who died when his Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas as a highly decorated US Army Green Beret veteran. Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was killed in the blast that also injured seven bystanders on Wednesday morning.
Green Beret Deployed Twice to Afghanistan
Livelsberger served in the elite US Army Special Forces, known as the Green Berets, and completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He was also deployed to several other countries including Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo during his military career.
Matthew Livelsberger was an active-duty soldier from 2006 to 2011 before transferring to the National Guard and Army Reserves. He rejoined active duty in 2012 as a Special Operations soldier.
– US Army statement
For his distinguished service, Livelsberger was awarded two Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire. He also received a Combat Infantry Badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor.
Tesla Cybertruck Packed with Explosives
Investigators discovered that the electric Tesla Cybertruck was loaded with fireworks-style mortars, camping fuel, and gas canisters that caused the massive fireball outside the hotel. The truck had been rented from the vehicle-sharing service Turo.
The revelation sparked questions about possible connections to another attack earlier that day in New Orleans, where an Army veteran rammed a truck into a crowd. However, FBI officials stated there is currently no definitive link between the two incidents.
Elon Musk: Cybertruck “Contained the Explosion”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is working with President-elect Donald Trump, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the “evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle” and claimed the Cybertruck’s design helped contain the blast.
Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken.
– Elon Musk, Tesla CEO
Musk reportedly assisted the investigation by remotely unlocking the truck after it auto-locked during the explosion and providing charging station video of the suspect along the 800-mile route from Colorado.
Investigation Spans Multiple States
FBI agents, with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), are conducting searches at Livelsberger’s Colorado Springs addresses. Investigators are pursuing leads across at least four states and overseas to piece together what happened.
The tragic incident has raised concerns about potential vulnerabilities with the popular Tesla Cybertruck, an electric vehicle still in development, and possible political motivations given the target was a hotel linked to former President Trump. As the investigation continues, authorities aim to uncover what drove a decorated soldier to such a horrific act.
