His name was Matthew Livelsberger, the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded at the entrance to the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. An incident that authorities are investigating following the lead of terrorism. The explosion injured seven people. Shortly before, the man on board had already shot himself.
The 37-year-old man, originally from Colorado Springs, was a decorated U.S. Army veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Investigators were able to access one of the Green Beret member’s cell phones, finding two letters in which he had in so many words, expressed his intention to blow up the vehicle outside the Las Vegas hotel.
In his writings, Livelsberger calls U.S. political leadership weak, and says his exploits will serve as a “wake-up call.” “We are the United States of America, the best country to ever exist, but right now, we are terminally ill and headed towards collapse,” he wrote. “This was not a terrorist attack. It was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives. I need to cleanse my mind of the brothers I’ve lost, and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took,” he continued.
These last words, in particular, hint at how the military career has deeply scarred the 37-year-old, who has seen too much death around him over the years.
In the past, Livelsberger had also been deployed to Afghanistan, just like Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the 42-year-old Texan who on New Year’s Eve–that is, just hours before the Tesla car explosion in Las Vegas–swept through the crowds present on Bourbon Street with his Ford pickup truck, killing 15 innocents and injuring more than 30 people.
The sinister coincidence had led to speculation of a connection between the two attacks. However, at the moment, authorities have denied that assumption.
Livelsberger was identified by investigators on Thursday, despite his body being badly burned, thanks to some tattoos and DNA testing. He was on authorized leave from the Army when he rented a Cybertruck and drove from Colorado to Las Vegas.
People who served with him during his nearly two decades in uniform described him as a dedicated and patriotic soldier, saying he was not a violent person.
In one of the writings found by police, the 37-year-old expressed support for Donald Trump and the president-elect’s allies Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He also expressed disdain for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and income inequality. As confirmed by the medical examiner, the man shot himself shortly before the Cybertruck exploded.
