Driver Of Exploded Cybertruck in Las Vegas Identified
14- 3.01.2025, 9:21
- 16,384
He was a US military with numerous awards.
On Wednesday, January 1, a Cybertruck exploded near the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. Police have determined that the deceased driver was a US soldier.
Reuters and the Associated Press reported this.
The agency writes that on Thursday, officials identified the man found dead in the Cybertruck that exploded near the entrance to the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
The deceased driver was identified as Matthew Leavelsberger, 37, an active duty US soldier from Colorado Springs. He acted alone.
According to the Las Vegas Police Department on X, Leavelsberger committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. The soldier was in the car when gasoline canisters and large pyrotechnic mortars exploded in the back.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters that Leavelsberger shot himself just before the explosion. A handgun was found at his feet.
It was one of two semiautomatic pistols found in the Cybertruck. The military had legally purchased both on Dec. 30. Authorities also found a military identification card, passport, iPhone, and credit cards in the pickup truck.
The explosion caused minor injuries to seven people and did little damage to the hotel. Leavelsberger likely planned a more destructive attack, but the steel-sided vehicle absorbed much of the force, the sheriff said.
Authorities are still working to establish a motive. Meanwhile, the FBI said it has not yet found a clear connection between the New Orleans pickup truck crash that killed 15 people on New Year's Eve and the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas later that day.
What is known about the soldier who shot himself and blew himself up in a Cybertruck
Liwelsberger was assigned to the Army Special Operations Command and was on approved leave at the time of his death. According to a US official, he recently returned from an overseas deployment in Germany (he returned to the US). Investigators found that shortly before renting the Cybertruck and buying the gun, the soldier may have gotten into a fight with his wife over relationship issues.
Liwelsberger is known to have served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces that work to combat terrorism overseas and train partners. He had been in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas deployments, including two tours in Afghanistan, and service in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Congo.
In total, he was awarded five Bronze Stars, including a Medal for Gallantry Under Fire, a Combat Infantryman Badge, and an Army commendation for valor.
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