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Shocking links emerge between New Orleans truck attack and Vegas Tesla blast

Jan 02, 2025 09:29 PM IST

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is probing both the cases as a possible act of terror. 

The Tesla Cybertruck's explosion outside of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas and the New Orleans' New Year attack which killed 15 people has one prominent link, the suspects. They both were or are in the US Army.

The Tesla Cybertruck and the pickup truck used in the New Orleans attack were rented from the app Turo. (Reuters/AFP)
The Tesla Cybertruck and the pickup truck used in the New Orleans attack were rented from the app Turo. (Reuters/AFP)

The Tesla vehicle's explosion killed the driver and injured seven others, while the New Orleans attack left at least 15 persons dead and more than 35 wounded.

Sources from the law enforcement cited in a New York Post report said that the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that blew up outside the Las Vegas hotel owned by US President-elect Donald Trump has been identified as one 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger, a Colorado resident and an Army sergeant.

According to CNN, Livelsberger is an active-duty Special Forces operations sergeant, who was in the US on leave from Germany. He was serving there with 10th SFG.

He had reportedly rented the electric pickup truck in Colorado using an app called Turo and then drove it to Nevada. This is the same app that the suspect in the deadly New Orleans pick-up truck rampage used to book the vehicle.

ALSO READ | Video: Tesla Cybertruck explodes outside Trump Las Vegas hotel, killing driver

The Tesla truck was also packed with firework-type mortars, camping fuel and canisters at the time of the explosion, the report said.

Livelsberger had several Colorado Springs addresses associated with him and one of them on Marksheffel Road was swarmed by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials late Wednesday.

The federal agency has not ruled out the 'terrorism angle' and is investigating the explosion as a possible act of terror, The Post reported.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar: New Orleans attack suspect

Shamsud-Din Jabbar was identified as the suspect responsible for killing 15 people and injuring dozen others on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

The 42-year-old Jabbar, also an Army veteran, was driving a pick-up truck which, rammed through a crowd of people celebrating New Year.

The suspect, an American citizen, was born and raised in Texas. He reportedly walked out of the truck after crashing it wearing full body armour. He is also believed to have been in possession of an assault rifle.

This case is also being probed as an act of terrorism by the FBI. Agency officials said that they found potential explosive devices in the French Quarter.

ALSO READ | Guns, pipe bombs, ISIS flag: What FBI found from New Orleans attacker's truck

An Islamic State group flag was also found on Jabbar's vehicle's trailer hitch, which has led the agency to investigate any possible links he had with any terrorist organization.

According to the State Police bulletin, guns and pipe bombs were also found in Jabbar's car. The devices were hidden within coolers and wired for remote detonation with a remote control, which was also recovered from the vehicle, it added.

Renting app Turo, US Army Veterans: Both suspects connected?

The coincidences with the suspects in both the cases, Matthew Livelsberger and Shamsud-Din Jabbar, are chilling.

While both of them are US Army Veterans, Denver7 also reported that they served at the same Army base at one point.

Besides this, like Livelsberger, Jabbar had also used the Turo app to rent the pickup truck that he rammed into the crowd on the Bourbon Street.

"That's another coincidence that absolutely, we have to continue to look into," Las Vegas Metropolitan Sheriff Kevin McMahill said.

Meanwhile, a Turo spokesperson released a statement following the incidents, saying, "We are heartbroken by the violence perpetrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and our prayers are with the victims and families. We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents. 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. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards in risk management, thanks to our world-class trust and safety technologies and teams that include experienced former law enforcement professionals," Denver7 quoted the statement.

Citing local US media reports, The Post reported that the FBI is investigating a possible connection between Livelsberger and Jabbar.

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Read breaking news, latest updates from United States on topics related to politics, crime, along with national affairs. Stay up to date with news developments on Kamala Harris, Donald Trump,and Joe Biden along with Super Bowl 2025 Live Updates.
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