Authorities have identified the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside a Las Vegas hotel on New Year’s Day as Matthew Livelsberger, an active-duty U.S. Army soldier based in Colorado Springs.
Livelsberger, 37, served in the elite Green Berets, highly trained special forces tasked with counter-terrorism and training missions abroad.
According to an Army statement, he joined the military in 2006 and had a distinguished career that included deployments to Afghanistan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Congo.
His awards included two Bronze Stars—one with a valor device for bravery under fire—a combat infantry badge, and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Livelsberger was on approved leave at the time of his death.
The explosion occurred early Wednesday morning outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, where investigators found firework mortars and camp fuel canisters in the rented truck.
FBI and ATF agents, alongside local law enforcement, are working to determine the motive behind the attack.
Livelsberger’s wife in Colorado Springs told investigators he had been absent from their home since Christmas following an argument.
Authorities later connected Livelsberger to Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect in the New Year’s truck attack in New Orleans. Both men had served at Fort Bragg and deployed to Afghanistan, though officials have found no evidence they were acquainted or conspired together.
“While the overlap in their military service raises questions, there is currently no indication of collaboration between these individuals,” said Kevin McMahill, sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
The Cybertruck, rented through the Turo app in Colorado Springs, was tracked via charging stations on its journey to Nevada.
Turo, a peer-to-peer car rental platform, expressed shock and grief in a statement, emphasizing its cooperation with law enforcement.
“We are heartbroken by the violence in New Orleans and Las Vegas and stand with the victims and their families,” the company said. “We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety.”
Authorities are now investigating Livelsberger’s movements leading up to the explosion. Despite his decorated military background, the incident has left many questions unanswered, including potential motives and the connection, if any, between the two attacks.