Las Vegas New Year’s Day explosion suspect linked to Bucyrus **UPDATED**

**UPDATE**

Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill announced Thursday afternoon that investigators believe the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel on Wednesday is likely a suicide.

During a news conference, Sheriff McMahill revealed that evidence suggests the driver, Bucyrus native, Matthew Livelsberger, suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head prior to the explosion. He noted that one of the firearms recovered from the vehicle was located at the driver’s feet.

LAS VEGAS, NV (MARION COUNTY NOW)—The suspect involved in the deadly explosion at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day has been identified as Matt Livelsberger, a Bucyrus native. Livelsberger, who was most recently living in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has a military background that includes service in various branches of the U.S. Army.

According to military records, Livelsberger enlisted in the Army as an 18X in January 2006 and served on active duty until March 2011. He subsequently joined the National Guard, serving until July 2012, before continuing his military career in the Army Reserve until December 2012. At that time, he re-entered active duty as a soldier in Army Special Operations.

At the time of the explosion, Livelsberger was on approved leave from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). While USASOC is cooperating fully with federal and state law enforcement agencies, they have refrained from commenting on the ongoing investigation as a matter of policy.

Reports indicate that Livelsberger was stationed at the same military base as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the individual suspected of a separate attack in New Orleans’ French Quarter, where a truck was deliberately driven into a crowd, resulting in at least 15 fatalities. That incident is currently being investigated as a terrorist attack, with authorities believing that Jabbar did not act alone.

In the Las Vegas incident, police have revealed that the truck involved in the explosion was tracked via cameras at Tesla charging stations. It arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 a.m. and was seen driving along Las Vegas Boulevard for approximately one hour before pulling up to the Trump Hotel entrance. The truck remained in front of the hotel for about 15 to 20 seconds before detonating.

Authorities have confirmed that both the Tesla Cybertruck involved in the Las Vegas explosion and the pickup truck used in the New Orleans attack were rented from the car-sharing service Turo. Investigators have classified the Las Vegas incident as isolated and have assured the public that there is no ongoing threat to the community. In addition to Livelsberger’s death, seven people were injured in the explosion.