The Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning involved fireworks mortars, gasoline canisters and camping fuel packed in the truck’s bed. Authorities said the combination made the blast dramatic. However, police believe it could have been far more lethal.
KEY POINTS
- A renter picked up the 2024 Cybertruck in Colorado through the car-sharing app Turo. In addition, police said its steel body may have channelled the blast upward.
- The driver died in the explosion. Meanwhile, investigators found firearms, credit cards and a passport in the truck.
- Seven bystanders suffered minor injuries. Still, the FBI found no definitive link to the New Orleans attack.
What investigators know about the Cybertruck explosion
Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a Wednesday briefing that the truck’s stainless-steel body may have contained the blast. It absorbed much of the explosion and directed it upward. As a result, he called that an unintended consequence of the vehicle’s unusual construction.
Officials have not named the driver publicly. Investigators also found credit cards, a passport and multiple firearms inside the truck. A semi-automatic pistol lay at the driver’s feet, and the wound appeared self-inflicted. Finally, agents recovered two handguns from the vehicle.
Authorities are treating the Cybertruck explosion as a possible act of terrorism while they investigate a motive. However, they have not settled on one. The FBI said it found no definitive link to the New Orleans vehicle attack hours earlier. Both vehicles had come through Turo, investigators noted.
Background and context
The explosion came hours after the deadly vehicle attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. As a result, it put federal law enforcement on high alert on New Year’s Day. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, now a close political ally of Trump, said the company was investigating. He added, apparently erroneously, that the blast was ‘likely’ caused by ‘very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck’. He made that claim before authorities had released their findings.
Turo, the peer-to-peer car rental company, said it was cooperating with the FBI. Meanwhile, a company spokesperson said customers had rented both the Las Vegas and New Orleans vehicles through its platform. The company added that neither renter had a criminal background that would have flagged them as a security threat.
What happens next
The FBI’s investigation continues. Agents are examining the truck’s remains and the driver’s background. In addition, McMahill said the county’s bomb squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also involved.
The Trump Organization said the safety and well-being of guests and staff remained its top priority. It also thanked the Las Vegas Fire Department for its rapid response.
Sources: Clark County Sheriff’s Office briefing, Jan. 1; FBI statements; Turo corporate statement.
