The bomber who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has been identified as Army veteran Matthew Livelsberger.
Although officers have not publicly named Livelsberger, 37, as the bomber, senior law enforcement sources confirmed his identity to KOAA and KTNV.
Livelsberger served over 19 years in the Army – 18 of which were spent with Special Forces, according to his LinkedIn profile. His current role was listed as a Remote and Autonomous Systems Manager, which he had been in for just three months.
A Colorado townhome associated with Livelsberger was raided by the FBI late Wednesday night. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were brought in to assist.
The suspected bomber was raised in Ohio, moved to Colorado Springs as an adult and has reportedly been linked to several addresses in the city, included the one searched by investigators.
He is suspected of renting the Elon Musk owned Cybertruck in Colorado Springs, via the Turo app, and driving it across the border to Nevada on Wednesday morning, stopping at various charging stations along the route.
Law enforcement sources revealed that Livelsberger, who died Wednesday in the explosion outside the hotel, had previously served at the same military base as New Orleans terrorist Shamsud Din Jabbar. Police have not confirmed if the pair were known to each other.
Jabbar, who had allegedly pledged himself to the Islamic State, rammed a pickup truck – which bore the ISIS flag – into a crowd of New Year revelers, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens.
The FBI has said it does not think Jabbar, 42, was ‘solely responsible’ for the Bourbon Street attack. Authorities are ‘conducting a number of court-authorized search warrants in New Orleans and other states’ and investigating his ‘potential associations and affiliations’ with terroristic organizations.
In a press conference, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the cybertruck arrived in Las Vegas at 7.30am.
The explosion took place at 8.40am in the hotel’s valet area. Surveillance footage showed the truck sitting outside the front entrance. Seconds later, the entire $80,000 car blew up in a fiery blaze – with its roof going up in flames first.
Debris smoked as it pinged off the pavement and sparks which looked like fireworks could be seen lighting up the black cloud of smoke emitting from the vehicle.
A tumble of charred fireworks mortars, cannisters and other explosive devices were found crowded into the back of the pickup.
Officials are still exploring how the explosives were detonated, but sources with knowledge of the investigation have expressed that it was likely controlled by the driver.
Livelsberger was the sole fatality in the attack, and authorities largely credit Musk’s hulking truck with preventing further damage because it was able to contain much of the explosion.
According to the KOAA, law enforcement officers wearing tactical gear and travelling in armored vehicles arrived at one of Livelsberger’s Colorado Springs properties Wednesday night.
Neighbors were ‘escorted away’ from the townhome complex in the Stetson Hills neighborhood as investigators carried out their search. Police have assured the public they do not suspect there is any ongoing threat to the community.
Hours before the attack in Las Vegas, Jabbar drove an electric vehicle into crowds in New Orleans, killing 15 pedestrians and injuring dozens more.
