(LifeSiteNews) — A law enforcement official leading the investigation into an attack outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas thanked Elon Musk by name for his help.
Someone exploded a Tesla Cybertruck outside the hotel on Wednesday morning. Colorado media have named Matthew Livelsberger as a suspect.
“I have to thank Elon Musk specifically,” Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill told the media on Wednesday, citing evidence Musk had sent. He also said the probe is focusing on motives, suggesting that the attack’s use of a Tesla truck outside Donald Trump’s hotel raises questions.
Tesla also unlocked the vehicle for law enforcement.
“Obviously a Cybertruck, the Trump hotel… There’s lots of questions that we have to answer,” McMahill said during a press conference yesterday.
McMahill said Musk sent “video from Tesla charging stations to help with their efforts to track the driver,” as reported by CNN.
The attacker, who has not been named, exploded his car.
“[F]ireworks-style mortars, gasoline cans and camping fuel canisters [were found] in the back of the truck,” according to ABC News.
— Matt Lamb (@MattLamb22) January 2, 2025
The specific design of the truck reportedly prevented further damage, according to Sheriff McMahill.
“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,” the sheriff told the media.
Musk confirmed this in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards,” Musk, the CEO of Tesla, wrote on X. “Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken.”
The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.
Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken. https://t.co/9vj1JdcRZV
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2025
Federal law enforcement is investigating the Las Vegas explosion and any connection to the terrorist attack that took place in New Orleans on Wednesday.
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Early on New Year’s Day, an Army veteran identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drove a pickup truck with an ISIS flag on it into a crowd and “killed at least 15 people and injured 30 more,” according to NBC News. He died upon being shot by police.
Meanwhile, social media users criticized news outlets for appearing to downplay the Las Vegas attack and implying that the truck exploded on its own accord.
“One dead after Tesla Cybertruck explodes outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas,” read a New York Times headline.
Guy drives a Ford Lightning through a crowd in NOLA and the media reports is as a truck attack.
Guy detonates a bomb in a Cybertruck in Las Vegas and the media reports it as a Tesla Cybertruck explosion. pic.twitter.com/9H678qLpR8
— Storm (@stormrobinson) January 2, 2025
Other headlines said the truck caught fire, again implying an engineering mistake or other malfunction caused it, and not a criminal who was trying to harm human beings.
“The truth is that explosives were placed in the back and intentionally detonated, likely as part of a terrorist act,” DogeDesigner wrote on X. “Don’t fall for the misinformation.”
“It’s January 1, 2025, and many media outlets are already making misleading headlines about [Tesla and Cybertruck] without doing any research,” Maye Musk, Elon’s mom, wrote on X.
It’s January 1, 2025, and many media outlets are already making misleading headlines about @Tesla and @cybertruck without doing any research. Today it’s @nytimes @APNews @BusinessInsider @guardian @MSNBC @inkl @CNN @CBSNews @SkyNews @NBCNews @NPR @Reuters @latimes Feel free to… https://t.co/u9hNDknw1N
— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) January 2, 2025
“You don’t hate the legacy media enough,” Elon Musk wrote on X.
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