A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day, after pulling up to the glass entrance doors and emitting smoke, according to authorities.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill confirmed that one person in the vehicle died, and seven others were injured. Authorities are investigating several leads in connection with the incident.
During a press briefing, McMahill acknowledged the suspected terror attack in New Orleans, where a driver rammed a crowd, killing at least 10 people, and officials found suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the city. He assured that while authorities were searching for any secondary devices in Las Vegas, there was no apparent further threat.
In a follow-up briefing, investigators revealed that the Cybertruck’s bed contained gas tanks, camping fuel, and large firework mortars, though the cause of the explosion remains unclear. Law enforcement is still working to determine how these materials were ignited.
The Cybertruck, rented in Colorado, had been tracked through Tesla charging stations, with the truck arriving in Las Vegas around 7:30 a.m. It drove around the city for about an hour before parking at the hotel and exploding around 8:40 a.m. The Trump Hotel was evacuated, but McMahill noted that the blast had little impact inside the valet area, with the exterior of the truck intact and the hotel’s front glass doors undamaged.
McMahill also reported that the seven individuals harmed sustained minor injuries, with two briefly hospitalized before being discharged.
The FBI is investigating the explosion through its Joint Terrorism Task Force, focusing on identifying the individual in the Cybertruck and determining if this incident was linked to terrorism. They are also exploring possible connections to the terror attack in New Orleans, as well as any potential motives involving Elon Musk’s relationship with President-elect Donald Trump.
Both the Cybertruck and the vehicle used in the New Orleans attack were rented through the peer-to-peer car-sharing app Turo. The company stated that neither renter had a criminal background, and there is no current information linking the two incidents.
The investigation into the explosion is ongoing, with authorities still working to confirm how the materials in the truck were ignited.
