Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Trump Hotel: what we know so far

A Tesla Cybertruck erupted in flames outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, killing the driver and injuring seven others.

As per the latest statement, the FBI is investigating whether the explosion was an act of terrorism.

The incident occurred hours after another deadly attack in New Orleans, where a man drove a truck into New Year’s Day revelers, killing 15.

The Trump International Hotel, owned by the Trump Organization, was evacuated after the explosion.

Most visitors were relocated to a nearby hotel.

Las Vegas firefighters responded within four minutes of the fire being reported, extinguishing the flames shortly after.

Two of the injured were taken to hospitals with minor injuries.

Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, acknowledged the incident on X, stating it occurred in the hotel’s porte cochère.

Cybertruck explosion: investigation going on

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Sheriff Kevin McMahill provided an update on the investigation into the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump Hotel earlier today.

According to Sheriff McMahill, the truck, rented in Colorado via the peer-to-peer car-sharing platform Turo, arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 AM and was observed driving up and down the Las Vegas Strip for approximately an hour before pulling into the hotel’s valet area.

Authorities discovered that the truck’s bed contained gasoline tanks, camping fuel, and large firework mortars.

Seven individuals sustained injuries in the explosion, with two requiring brief hospitalization before being released.

The investigation, a collaborative effort involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, is ongoing.

While authorities are working to identify the suspect and determine the motive behind the incident, preliminary findings suggest this was an isolated event with no evidence of a broader threat.

LVMPD has increased its officer presence across the city, particularly on the Las Vegas Strip, as a precautionary measure. However, officials emphasized that there is no known imminent threat to public safety

The investigators added that it is unclear whether the incident was an act of terrorism.

Elon Musk on Cybertruck explosion

Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the explosion was not related to the Cybertruck itself.

“The explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck,”

Musk clarified in a post on X, adding that telemetry data from the vehicle was positive before the blast.

Musk also added that the explosion was a terrorist attack.

The tech billionaire said that the alleged attackers chose the wrong vehicle for the attack — as the Cybertruck was able to contain most of the damage.

The fact about the Cybertruck limiting damage was also acknowledged by official investigators.

“The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards,” Musk wrote in a post on social media platform X.

Connection to the New Orleans terrorist attack

At least 15 people were killed, and dozens injured after a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revellers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

The suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US citizen from Texas, was killed in a police shootout.

The man was identified by the FBI as a US military veteran.

Both the Cybertruck involved in the Las Vegas explosion and the vehicle used in the New Orleans attack were rented through the car-sharing platform Turo.

A Turo spokesperson noted that neither renter had a criminal background.

The FBI confirmed that a potential explosive device was found in the vehicle used in the New Orleans attack.

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