Man Who Died In Cybertruck Explosion Identified As Green Beret And Bronze Star Recipient—Here’s What We Know About Him
Key Facts
The coroner for Clark County, Nevada, identified Livelsberger, 37, as the driver of the Cybertruck who died by suicide before the blast, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Livelsberger’s phone was recovered from the explosion’s aftermath and contained notes saying the U.S. was “headed toward collapse” and that Livelsberger chose to carry out the act because he said “I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I’ve lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took,” according to an LVMPD press conference Friday.
The notes also said the act was “not a terrorist attack” and was instead a “wake-up call,” adding “Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence.”
Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said in a press conference Thursday multiple IDs belonging to Livelsberger, including a passport and military ID card, were found inside the Cybertruck, though law enforcement could not initially confirm whether Livelsberger was the driver because the body found in the wreck was “burnt beyond recognition.”
Livelsberger was a member of the Army’s Green Berets special forces unit, served at Fort Bragg, was deployed twice to Afghanistan and was on leave from Germany at the time of the explosion, McMahill said.
Livelsberger was reportedly awarded five Bronze Stars during his service, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor.
Both Livelsberger and Shamsud-Din Jabbar—identified as the suspect who drove into a crowded street in New Orleans also on New Year’s Day, killing at least 14—served at Fort Bragg at different periods and were deployed to Afghanistan at the same time in the 2000s, and McMahill said investigators are working to determine whether they were stationed in the same province.
Livelsberger and Jabbar rented their vehicles through Turo, a vehicle-sharing app, though the company said in a statement neither had a criminal background that Turo believes would have flagged them as a “security threat.”
What To Watch For
The FBI said Thursday the agency’s office in Denver and the Colorado Springs Police Department were conducting “law enforcement activity” at a Colorado Springs home related to the explosion, though the agency did not include additional details. Investigators also found a second phone in the Cybertruck, though McMahill said they have been unable to access it.
What Else Do We Know About Livelsberger?
Livelsberger lived with his wife and daughter in Colorado Springs, according to the Denver Gazette. Alicia Arritt, Livelsberger’s ex-girlfriend, told the outlet Livelsberger’s attitude and behavior appeared to shift in 2019 after he returned from deployment with a traumatic brain injury. He became isolated and showed depressive symptoms, which Arritt said went untreated because it’s not “acceptable to seek treatment when someone is in special forces.” Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas field office, said Friday investigators determined Livelsberger likely had post-traumatic stress disorder. Livelsberger sent text messages to Arritt in the days before the blast, telling Arritt he left his home on Dec. 26 after an argument with his wife. He sent photos of his rented Cybertruck to Arritt, telling her on Dec. 29, “I feel like Batman or halo.” None of the messages sent by Livelsberger before New Year’s Day suggested he would carry out the explosion, Arritt told the Gazette.
Where Did Matthew Livelsberger Travel From?
Livelsberger picked up his rented Cybertruck in Denver on Dec. 29, before driving south, according to McMahill. He charged the truck on Dec. 30 in Monument, Colorado, before charging it multiple times on New Year’s Eve, including stops in Trinidad, Colorado, and Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he began traveling west. He stopped two more times that day in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Gallup, New Mexico. On New Year’s Day, Livelsberger charged the Cybertruck in Holbrook and Flagstaff, Arizona, before arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada, shortly at about 5:33 a.m. local time.
What Was Found Inside The Cybertruck?
A pistol and semi-automatic rifle were found inside the vehicle, and law enforcement determined both were lawfully purchased by Livelsberger, according to Kenneth Cooper, the assistant special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office in San Francisco. The handgun was found at the feet of the person inside the truck, according to McMahill. Aerial shells, firework mortars, camp fuel canisters and fuel enhancers were also found, Cooper said, though a probe into what ignited the explosives is ongoing.
Was The Explosion Linked To The New Orleans Attack?
The FBI found “no definitive link” between the Cybertruck explosion and the New Orleans attack as investigations into the incidents are in the early stages. Turo noted it was not aware of any information that would indicate the two incidents are related. There is no indication the explosion has connections to ISIS like the New Orleans attack, where the FBI said it found an ISIS flag, McMahill added.
What Do We Know About Matthew Livelsberger’s Motive?
McMahill said shortly after the blast the LVMPD and FBI investigated whether the explosion was a possible terrorist attack, adding he was “comfortable” calling the incident a “suicide, with a bombing that occurred immediately thereafter.” Evans said Thursday it’s “not lost on us” the incident took place in front of the Trump hotel and involved a vehicle developed by Tesla, whose CEO Elon Musk has become an increasingly close Trump ally. After the notes from Livelsberger’s phone were discovered, Evans suggested there were potential “family issues or personal grievances in his own life that may have been contributing factors” to the incident. A conspiracy theory shared by billionaire Bill Ackman claimed Livelsberger was framed for the explosion and had been shot by someone else, and the Cybertruck’s Autopilot feature was then used to navigate the vehicle to the hotel. Tesla CEO Elon Musk shut this theory down, however, saying the Autopilot feature would not function unless it detects an “attentive” person in the front seat. One of Livelsberger’s relatives appeared to suggest to CNN the blast was not politically motivated despite the incident taking place outside of President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel, saying Livelsberger had previously written social media posts supporting Trump. One of Livelsberger’s military colleagues told CNN they were surprised about the incident, saying Livelsberger’s unit was often tasked with clearing improvised explosive devices. The colleague also suggested Livelsberger never indicated he was struggling during their deployment to Afghanistan or after they returned home, and that Livelsberger would have had “his pick of options for career field when [Livelsberger] gets out” of the military.
What Has Elon Musk Said About The Cybertruck Explosion?
Musk said the company had confirmed the explosion was caused by “very large fireworks” or an explosive in the Cybertruck’s bed, later saying law enforcement believes the explosion was “most likely intentional.” Musk—echoing a statement from McMahill—suggested the Cybertruck had “contained” the explosion and “directed the blast upwards,” preventing additional damage to the hotel. He added the incident was likely an act of terrorism, noting both the Cybertruck and truck used in the New Orleans attack were rented through Turo (the FBI said investigators are trying to determine whether the incident was an act of terrorism).
Key Background
A Tesla Cybertruck parked outside the Trump International Hotel exploded at about 8:40 a.m. local time Wednesday, killing at least one person and injuring another seven people. McMahill said the truck appeared to contain gasoline, camp fuel canisters and “large firework mortars,” though it was not immediately clear how the truck was ignited. Earlier in the morning, a rented Ford pickup truck drove into a crowded Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more. The suspect, later identified as 42-year-old Jabbar, flew an ISIS flag on the vehicle and carried additional weapons and possible improvised explosive devices, the FBI said. Jabbar acted alone, according to the agency, which referred to the attack as an act of terrorism.
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