On Wednesday, a devastating explosion occurred outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas involving a Tesla Cybertruck. The blast killed the unidentified driver and injured seven people. Police have since released dramatic images from inside the vehicle revealing a disturbing array of homemade explosives, including fireworks, gas cylinders, and camping fuel, found in the bed of the truck.
Authorities have confirmed that the explosive materials found in the Cybertruck were probably connected to a detonation system, which led to the concerns about the events that led to the explosion. Sources close to the investigation indicate that the driver might have caused the explosion by himself, by triggering the detonation mechanism.
Among the items recovered from the truck were burnt firecrackers, gas tanks, and containers of camping fuel. Investigators cannot yet tell how the bombs were detonated but believe it is likely that it was done manually by the driver himself.
Watch the video here:
NEW FOOTAGE: “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 glass doors at the Trump hotel were not even broken.” pic.twitter.com/XtztqmZAYr
— America (@america) January 2, 2025
Tesla Owner Elon Musk Throws In His Two Cents
The Chief Executive of Tesla, Elon Musk had clarified the reason behind the fire, saying that it was due to large fireworks or a bomb carried in the truck’s bed but clarified that nothing related to the vehicle had taken place.
Responding to the incident, he posted on X, “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.”
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
Media Squib Link Between Two Tragic Incidents
This explosion occurred only hours after another violent incident in New Orleans, where a man drove a truck into a crowd celebrating New Year’s Day, resulting in 15 deaths. Both attacks have drawn the attention of law enforcement, with investigators examining possible links between the two incidents.
Reports revealed that in both attacks, the vehicles that were used came from the same car-sharing service called Turo. The Tesla Cybertruck was involved in an explosion in Las Vegas. According to reports, it was rented from Turo in Colorado but drove into Nevada earlier that morning, and its explosion happened within an hour.
Turo Involvement In Both Incidents
Turo confirmed that both the car used in the New Orleans attack and the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded in Las Vegas were rented on their platform. This has brought into question the role of car rental agencies in potentially facilitating violent attacks.
In response to the incident, U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the nation, announcing that law enforcement agencies and intelligence officials were investigating potential connections between the Las Vegas explosion and the New Orleans attack. “We’re tracking the explosion of a Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. Law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating this as well, including whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans,” Biden stated.
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