An active-duty U.S. Army soldier, identified as Matthew Livelsberger, was the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on New Year's Day. Livelsberger, 37, was on leave from Germany, where he served with the 10th Special Forces Group.
On the day of the incident, Livelsberger parked the truck outside the hotel around 8:40 a.m. local time, and it exploded approximately 15 to 20 seconds later, resulting in his death and injuring seven others. Authorities discovered gasoline, camp fuel containers, and large firework mortars inside the truck, leading to a fiery explosion captured on video.
Livelsberger had an extensive military background, having joined the active-duty Army in January 2006 and reaching the rank of master sergeant. He had served at Fort Bragg, a significant Army base in North Carolina, and had been part of the National Guard and Army Reserve before transitioning to active duty.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command confirmed that Livelsberger was on approved leave at the time of the tragic incident. Records indicated his recent address as a U.S. Armed Forces overseas mailing address, with previous addresses in Ohio and Colorado Springs.
The FBI Denver office announced an investigation at a residence in Colorado Springs related to the Las Vegas explosion. Concerns were raised when Livelsberger's wife had not heard from him for several days, adding to the mystery surrounding the events leading up to the explosion.
