The man killed in Wednesday's Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas was identified as Master Sgt. Matthew Alan Livelsberger, an active-duty U.S. Army Special Operations soldier, according to the Army.
Livelsberger's military career began in January 2006, serving in the active-duty Army until March 2011. He then transitioned to the National Guard, serving until July 2012, followed by a brief stint in the Army Reserve until December 2012. Livelsberger rejoined the active-duty Army that same month, continuing his service as a Special Operations soldier.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command confirmed that Livelsberger was on approved leave at the time of his death in the Tesla Cybertruck explosion.
Las Vegas police reported on Wednesday that gasoline canisters, camp fuel canisters, and large firework mortars were recovered from the back of the Cybertruck. The explosion, captured on video, left seven people injured in addition to claiming Livelsberger's life.
Investigators revealed that the Cybertruck had been rented in Colorado. Using Tesla charging station data, authorities tracked the vehicle's arrival in Las Vegas approximately an hour before the explosion. Police have labeled the incident as "isolated."
Earlier, law enforcement and intelligence officials investigated a possible link between the pickup truck explosion outside the Trump Hotel and the attack in New Orleans, where a man drove a truck into a crowd, killing 15 people and injuring dozens. However, no evidence had been found linking the two incidents.
Police stated that the impact of the explosion could have been far worse if not for the Cybertruck's body construction, which helped contain the blast.
According to Kevin McMahill, sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the truck's design directed most of the force upward, minimizing damage in the hotel valet area and leaving the building's front glass intact despite the explosion.
"The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet because it had most of the blast. Up through the truck and out," he said. "You'll see that the front glass doors at the Trump hotel were not even broken by that blast which they were parked directly in front of."
"I have to thank Elon Musk specifically," McMahill added.
