The driver of a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday has been identified as 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger, a U.S. Army special operations soldier. Authorities linked him to the explosion through various pieces of evidence, including photos, documents, and a tattoo.
According to Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill, although investigators have found substantial evidence suggesting Livelsberger was the individual in the truck at the time of the explosion, the body was burned beyond recognition, and DNA confirmation is still pending. The explosion, which occurred at approximately 8:40 a.m., killed Livelsberger and injured seven others.
Investigators uncovered multiple items at the scene, including a military ID card, a passport, a Desert Eagle .50 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and several other firearms. Many of the weapons were severely damaged in the blast. Additionally, they found an iPhone, smartwatch, and credit cards bearing Livelsberger’s name.
A key detail in the investigation came from a tattoo on the suspect’s arm, which remained visible despite the severe burns. This, combined with the identification documents and the firearms, gave authorities strong confidence in their identification of the suspect.
McMahill noted that Livelsberger’s movements were traced through photos taken at various charging stations. Livelsberger had rented the Cybertruck via the Turo app and had traveled through several states, including Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, before arriving in Las Vegas. His last charging session was in Kingman, Arizona, around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The vehicle was spotted in Las Vegas shortly before 7:30 a.m., where it was seen driving on the Strip, stopping at the Trump hotel, and later returning to the valet area at around 8:40 a.m. Seventeen seconds after the truck returned, it exploded.
Trump Hotel management released a statement confirming their commitment to the safety and security of guests and staff and stated they were cooperating fully with authorities.
The incident came on the same day as another violent event in New Orleans, where a man drove a truck displaying an ISIS flag into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing more than a dozen people and injuring many others.
Both Livelsberger and the New Orleans attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, rented their vehicles through Turo. McMahill confirmed that both men had served at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, though there is no evidence they were there at the same time. The two also served in Afghanistan in 2009, but no link has been established between them during that deployment.
Livelsberger, a Green Beret operations sergeant, spent much of his career at Fort Carson, Colorado, and in Germany. He was granted leave from Germany to visit the U.S. before the explosion. He also served in the National Guard and Army Reserve and had received numerous military honors, including the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
The investigation into the explosion is ongoing as authorities work to confirm all details surrounding Livelsberger’s involvement and the cause of the blast.
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