A Tesla Cybertruck displayed at a Tesla dealership on 20 December 2024 in Corte Madera, California. Photo: AFP / JUSTIN SULLIVAN
Authorities believe fireworks, gas tanks and camping fuel were connected to a detonation system controlled by the driver in the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside a Trump Hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday morning, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation.
The FBI is working to determine whether the incident was a terrorist act, Jeremy Schwartz, acting special agent in charge for the FBI's Las Vegas office, said Wednesday. The agency believes it was an isolated incident and there is no further danger to the public, Schwartz noted.
A vehicle fire was reported at the hotel just after 8.40am (5.40am Thursday NZT), and crews arrived to find a 2024 Cybertruck engulfed in flames, Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a news conference.
There is one person dead inside the Cybertruck, where the body remains as authorities continue their investigation, McMahill said Wednesday evening.
Seven victims were hurt by the explosion, all of whom are in stable condition, Deputy Fire Chief Billy Samuels said.
The vehicle was rented in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas at 7.30am Wednesday morning, McMahill said.
About an hour later, after driving up and down Las Vegas Boulevard, the truck pulled up to the Trump Hotel and exploded, authorities said Wednesday evening.
Surveillance video shows a driver passing by the Trump Hotel in Vegas about an hour before the car explodes, and then circling back near the end of that hour and stopping in front of the hotel, where the car explodes several seconds later, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation.
Video shared on social media appears to show the car engulfed in smoke as it is being hosed down.
Video shared by police during a press conference shows charred gasoline canisters and firework mortars in the bed of the badly burned truck.
Police said they do know who rented the truck, but authorities are not prepared to release a name as they work to positively identify the person in the vehicle.
"The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet, because it had most of the blast go up through the truck and out," McMahill said. He noted that the glass front doors to the hotel were not broken during the explosion.
"I have to thank Elon Musk specifically," he added, noting that Musk gave authorities "quite a bit of additional information," including directly sending them video from Tesla charging stations to help with their efforts to track the driver.
The vehicle was rented through the car rental company Turo, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. McMahill said it was a "coincidence" that the truck used to ram into a crowd in New Orleans was also rented through Turo, and that authorities are investigating. CNN has reached out to the company.
Authorities have not determined any connection between the two incidents at this time.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo wrote on X that his office is coordinating with authorities and will ensure they have any necessary resources available.
In a post on X, Elon Musk wrote Tesla is investigating the matter.
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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 2025
All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion. https://t.co/HRjb87YbaJ
"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," Musk wrote.
"The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle," Musk added, noting that the Cybertruck directed the blast upwards and helped contain the explosion. "Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken."
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump organization, also posted on X that 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 swift response and professionalism," Trump wrote.
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
Galit Ventura Rozen, who was a guest on the 62nd floor of the nearby Resorts World Las Vegas at the time of the explosion, said she looked out of her window to see a cloud of smoke rising from the area near the Trump hotel and immediately began recording.
"We saw a huge cloud of smoke ... we didn't know what was going on," she said. "Then I saw a line a line of probably at least three ambulances and a bunch of police cars."
Rozen said she later filmed a crowd of what appeared to be Trump hotel guests standing in a nearby parking lot.
McMahill told reporters the investigation into the incident is ongoing and his team is also "well aware" of attack in New Orleans that killed at least 10 people and injured dozens of others.
As a result, the sheriff said they are checking for "secondary devices" to ensure the safety of the community.
"There does not appear to be any further threat to our community here now," McMahill said.
"But obviously, a Cybertruck, the Trump hotel - there's lots of questions that we have to answer as we move forward."
- CNN
