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The Las Vegas Police Department and the FBI held a joint press conference Thursday, to provide an update on the deadly Cybertruck explosion which occurred Wednesday morning in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
The assumed identity of the suspect who drove the Tesla was released by the media late Wednesday night, as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Officials said at the press conference that Livelsberger’s body was burned beyond recognition, and they are still waiting on medical records and DNA evidence to officially confirm his identity, but they have enough evidence that they are confident he was the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck.
Livelsberger had sustained a gunshot wound to the head prior to the detonation of the vehicle. Police found the gun at his feet in the vehicle.
Parts of a tattoo on his arm and another on his stomach were still identifiable, and gives them confidence that it is the same person. Also, his credit cards, military identification and passport all point to him being the person who rented the Tesla Cybertruck.
Las Vegas Metro PD Sheriff Kevin McMahill acknowledged that there are a number of details that are eerily similar to the New Orleans case, including that both attackers had served in the U.S. Army, both served in Afghanistan in 2009, both were stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina…. And both used the rental company Turo to rent their vehicles. However they still haven’t found any direct evidence that links the two men together.
The Department of Defense has confirmed that Livelsberger was a Green Beret Operations Sergeant… and was currently on approved leave from Germany, and has previously served with the Army National Guard and Army Reserves.
Investigators found that Livelsberger rented the Tesla in Denver on December 28, and they were able to track his route from Colorado Springs to Las Vegas through the Tesla charging stations.
The Cybertruck was first spotted in Las Vegas at 7:29 a.m. Wednesday. He first pulled into the valet drive at the Trump International Hotel, apparently as a test run, then drove up and down the Las Vegas Boulevard.
Livelsberger then headed back to the Trump hotel, and the truck exploded within 17 seconds of his arrival.
FBI spokesman Spencer Evans said they are still working to determine Livelsberger’s motive. He said the fact that the bombing occurred in the front of the Trump building, with a Tesla vehicle, “is not lost on us.”
Investigators have recovered two semi-automatic handguns from the Tesla, and said Livelsberger legally purchased both guns on December 30, 2024.
McMahill said they still have to go through Livelsberger’s phones and computers.
WATCH the full press conference in the video below:
Below is a screenshot of a Facebook post on September 10, 2024, from an account appearing to belong to Livelsberger. Officials displayed a portion of the photo to show the tattoo on his arm.
🚨 JUST IN: Law enforcement sources have CONFIRMED Matt Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs, was the Trump Las Vegas Cybertruck Bomber, per NewsNation
Livelsberger, who kiIIed himself in the blast, was still an ACTIVE DUTY Green Beret operations sergeant who was on leave from… pic.twitter.com/gRD490xSeb
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 2, 2025
BREAKING: Driver identified who blew up Cybertruck in front of Trump’s Vegas hotel
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