One person has been confirmed dead and seven others sustained varying degrees of injuries after an explosion involving Elon Musk’s Cybertruck occurred outside a hotel owned by President-elect Donald Trump in Las Vegas.
This explosion happened just a few hours after a similar attack in New Orleans claimed the lives of 15 people the same day.
Confirming this incident yesterday, Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, during a news conference, disclosed that the authorities received a report of the explosion at the Trump Hotel at about 8:40 a.m.
He added that gas canisters, camp fuel canisters, and large firework mortars were found in the back of the truck. However, It was unclear how they had been ignited.
Addressing the newsmen, McMahil disclosed that a man, whose identity has not been released, died inside the 2024 Cybertruck, which had pulled up to the hotel’s entrance doors.
“The authorities said that the truck had been rented in Colorado using Turo, the same car rental app used in the New Orleans attack”.
He also noted that the authorities were able to trace the car back to Colorado using video footage captured at charging stations, and they have also identified the person who rented the truck, although their name has not been released.
According to McMahil, officials are investigating any possible links to the New Orleans crowd attack.
Meanwhile, he said there is “no indication” the Las Vegas explosion was connected to the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group. It comes after the FBI found an ISIS flag on the back of the truck used in the New Orleans attack.
The Las Vegas sheriff also said police have not found any devices that could have been used to set off the explosives in the vehicle outside the Trump hotel.
McMahill continued: “I have to thank Elon Musk specifically, he gave us quite a lot of additional information in regards to how the vehicle was locked after it exploded… as well as being able to capture all of the videos from the Tesla charging stations across the country. He sent that directly to us, so I appreciate his help on that.”
It had earlier emerged that the Tesla used in Las Vegas and the Ford used in New Orleans were rented from the same company.
In a statement, a Turo spokesperson said the company is working with the authorities as they investigate both incidents.
“We do not believe that either renter involved in the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat”.
Reacting to the incident Trump’s son and leader of the Trump organization, Eric Trump, in a statement on X said “Earlier today, a reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas. The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority.”
Elon Musk, Tesla’s chief executive, said in a statement on X that “the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck,” and said the vehicle was functioning properly.
The incident comes as Mr. Musk has cultivated a close and highly public relationship with the President-elect.
