"That was a wake-up call"

Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas was probably suicide

The perpetrator shot himself in the head before burning to death in the Cybertruck.(Bild: APA/AP)

Investigators have conclusively identified the US soldier responsible for the explosion of an electric pick-up truck in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas and are treating his act as a suicide. 

Although the incident is attracting more attention than usual, "it ultimately appears to be a tragic suicide of a highly decorated war veteran who was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues," said FBI investigator Spencer Evans.

Matthew Livelsberger was 37 years old and a member of the elite Green Berets unit. Among other things, he was deployed in Afghanistan. According to Sheriff Kevin McMahill, he spent most of his time at a base in the US state of Colorado and in Germany. He returned to the USA on authorized leave.

The police revealed details about the suspect at a press conference.(Bild: K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

Injured man now released from hospital
On Wednesday, he drove a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas and detonated it. Before the detonation, he is said to have shot himself in the head. He burned beyond recognition in his car, which is why identification was initially difficult. Several people were slightly injured in the explosion. According to the sheriff, however, they have since been discharged from hospital.

Investigators: "Not a terrorist attack, was a wake-up call"
 There is a lot of material that still needs to be examined in order to fully clarify the explosion, the investigators said. The man had no criminal history and was not known to law enforcement authorities. At the press conference, investigators released excerpts from two of the man's letters without commenting or explaining them further. They state that the USA was heading for collapse under weak leadership. "This was not a terrorist attack, this was a wake-up call."

Large fireworks and gas canisters were found in the bed of the truck.(Bild: APA/Las Vegas Review-Journal 2025)

Investigators reiterated that there is still no evidence of a link to the attacker who drove a vehicle into a crowd of people in New Orleans just hours before the truck exploded, killing 14 people. The investigators also see no connection between L. and a terrorist organization.

Desperate act probably intended to attract attention
The question of why Livelesberger exploded his truck in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, of all places, remains unanswered. However, investigators made it clear that the 37-year-old had no hatred for former and future US President-elect Donald Trump. Sheriff Kevin McMahill did not want to comment further on the man's political views.

McMahill said that if you read what Livelsberger had written, it became clear that he was trying to get the attention of Americans because he was "unhappy with a number of different things". He referred to various media reports on the man's political views, but did not go into the content of any of them.

The US media outlet "The Daily Beast" had reported, citing a high-ranking security official, that L. was a "big" supporter of Trump and had voted for him in November. The British "Independent" had also spoken to L's uncle, who said: "He loved his country 100 percent. (...) He loved Trump, and he was always a very, very patriotic soldier, a patriotic American."

If you or someone close to you is in an exceptional psychological situation or is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact the telephone counseling service on 142. You can find other crisis hotlines and emergency numbers HERE.