On New Year’s Day, a rented Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. A federal investigation has identified the driver, as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, who carried out a suicide mission on New Years Day.

During a press conference on Thursday, Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill confirmed that Livelsberger had sustained a gunshot wound to the head before the explosion. “Officials believe the shot was self-inflicted,” McMahill stated.

 He added, “This appears to be a suicide with a bombing that occurred immediately thereafter, rather than a suicide mission.”

A Decorated Military Career

Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was a highly decorated soldier with 19 years of service in the U.S. Army.

He served in the Green Berets, with deployments to Afghanistan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Congo. Among his accolades were two Bronze Stars—one with a valor device for courage under fire—a Combat Infantry Badge, and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. 

According to his uncle Dean, a Vietnam veteran, Matt was “a 100 percent patriot,” a “Rambo-type” who “loved the Army.”

Limited Damage from the Explosion

The explosion, caused by a mix of fireworks and fuel canisters, primarily damaged the Cybertruck’s interior. 

Sheriff McMahill explained that the blast “vented out and up,” sparing the Trump hotel doors just feet away. “The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience,” commented Kenny Cooper, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Items Found in the Truck

Authorities discovered several items inside the vehicle, including:

• A Desert Eagle .50 caliber semi-automatic pistol
• An SLR Rifleworks B30
• Fireworks, camp fuel canisters, and propane tanks
• Military ID, passport, credit cards, an iPhone, and a smartwatch

Both firearms had been legally purchased days before the incident.

The Investigation Unfolds

Investigators tracked the Cybertruck’s journey from Denver to Las Vegas via Tesla charging stations in Arizona and New Mexico. FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans noted that the vehicle arrived in Las Vegas at 7:29 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

While the remains in the truck have not been definitively identified, authorities pointed to Livelsberger’s military ID and tattoos as strong indicators. The FBI also searched a home in Colorado Springs linked to the explosion but disclosed no additional details.

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Possible Connections?

The Cybertruck explosion occurred hours after Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar drove a truck into a New Orleans crowd, killing 15 people. 

Both Livelsberger and Jabbar had spent time at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), a hub for Army special operations units. However, FBI Deputy Assistant Director Chris Raia clarified, “There is no definitive link between the two incidents.” But the investigation is ongoing.

Tesla’s Statement

Tesla CEO Elon Musk addressed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion.”

Livelsberger’s death has left many questions unanswered. While authorities believe the explosion was not a deliberate suicide mission, the full motivations behind his actions remain unclear. The investigation continues as officials piece together the tragic events of New Year’s Day.