A Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel on Wednesday has sparked an intense investigation after authorities found firework mortars and camp fuel canisters in the vehicle’s bed. One person was killed, and seven others were injured in the blast. This fatal incident has left people concerned if it’s anyhow linked to terrorism.
The Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, a 64-story building near the Las Vegas Strip, is located across from the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping mall.
Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill confirmed that investigators have identified the individual who rented the truck through the Turo app in Colorado. However, they have refused to disclose their name unless there’s an identification.
“Our number one goal is to ensure that we have the proper identification of the subject involved in this incident,” said Jeremy Schwartz, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas office. “Following that, our second objective is to determine whether this was an act of terrorism or not.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk clarified that the explosion was unrelated to the vehicle. He took to X to share a statement that read, “We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion.”
Musk previously noted that Tesla’s senior team was actively investigating the incident, as he said, “We’ve never seen anything like this.”
We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.
All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion. https://t.co/HRjb87YbaJ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 2025
Sheriff McMahill addressed that political motivations could be included behind the accident. The location of the incident is a strong point behind this claim. “This is a Tesla truck, and we know that Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump, and it’s the Trump Tower,” he said. “So there’s things to be concerned about, and it’s something we continue to look at.”
Musk, who recently attended a New Year’s Eve event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, has become part of Trump’s inner circle. However, there’s been no significant link between the blast and political affiliations.
Questions seemed to arise about whether the incident had any ties to the incident in New Orleans. For context, on New Year’s Day, a tragic incident took place on Bourbon Street. A 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drove a pickup truck into a crowd. It resulted in at least 15 fatalities and over 30 injuries.
Both vehicles in the respective Las Vegas and New Orleans incidents were rented through Turo. This commonality has implored the authorities to investigate possible connections between the two tragic incidents.
President Joe Biden addressed the nation and told his countrymen that all necessary resources are being deployed to determine whether the Las Vegas and New Orleans incidents are connected.
“We’re tracking the explosion of a Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas,” Biden said. “I directed my team to make sure every resource is made available to federal, state, and local law enforcement to complete the investigation quickly and to ensure there is no remaining threat to the American people.”
Turo, the car rental platform used to rent the Cybertruck, released a statement that assured all possible cooperation with the concerned authorities. “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,” the company said.
Earlier today, a reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas. The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their…
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) January 1, 2025
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization and president-elect’s son, praised first responders for their swift action. “I commend the fire department and local law enforcement for their professionalism and quick response,” he posted on X.