The man who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day shot himself in the head … just before his car blew up.
Sheriff of Clark County Kevin McMahill said Matthew Alan Leavelsberger shot, although he did not say whether he died from a gunshot wound or an explosion.
Leavelsberger was carrying a military ID, passport and credit cards. He also had distinctive tattoos… to identify himself to the governing authorities.
A Desert Eagle .50 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found at Leavelsberger’s feet, and an SLR B30 semi-automatic firearm was also found inside the truck, along with fireworks, an iPhone and a smartwatch.
The ATF says Leavelsberger, an Army Special Forces veteran, purchased the weapons legally on Dec. 30. The fireworks found in the vehicle appeared to be the same type available for public purchase.
The sheriff said investigators tracked the Cybertruck’s journey from Colorado to Nevada rented through the Turo app – the same app was used to rent the truck used in the New Orleans terror attack. Authorities haven’t been able to connect the 2 attacks, but they’re doing a deep dive to find out.
The truck was rented in Denver on Dec. 28. Several Tesla charging stations show the car made two stops in Colorado on Dec. 30 and 31 and then traveled through New Mexico.
The truck was loaded at three different locations in Arizona on the day of the attack before arriving in Las Vegas at 7:29 a.m. A surveillance photo shows the truck pulling up to Fashion Show Drive, where the hotel is located, at 7:34 a.m. The truck exploded around 08:40 in the morning.
