An Army veteran from Colorado was identified Thursday as the driver who died inside a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded in front of the Trump Tower hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day.
Law enforcement officials said Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs, rented the truck in his home state and drove to Nevada to carry out the explosion that killed himself and injured seven bystanders.
Police said all the bystanders are expected to survive in the explosion, which included firework mortars and camp fuel canisters.
Authorities said they are investigating if the explosion was part of a terrorist plot.
Mr. Livelsberger served at the same Army base as Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, the 42-year-old Texan who killed at least 15 people when he drove his truck through a New Orleans crowd early Wednesday, according to Denver ABC affiliate KMGH-TV. Jabbar died in a shootout with police shortly after he rammed into dozens of New Year’s revelers.
Federal officials have suggested that Jabbar didn’t act alone but have yet to identify any accomplices who may have assisted or joined his scheme.
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The FBI said Jabbar had an ISIS flag on the back of the rented truck he used in the attack. He also made videos discussing his allegiance to the Islamic terror group sometime before the New Year’s Day attack.
Both Jabbar and Mr. Livelsberger rented their trucks through Turo, a service that allows people to rent cars directly from another driver. Both trucks were also electric-powered vehicles.
“We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents,” Turo said in a statement. “We do not believe that either renter involved in the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat.”
Federal agents raided a Colorado townhome linked to Mr. Livelsberger late Wednesday. It’s unclear what the search produced at this time.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.