A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, but the damage was contained due to the vehicle’s sturdy construction, according to police. The driver of the Cybertruck died and seven others were injured in the explosion caused by fireworks, gas tanks, and camping fuel in the truck’s bed being detonated by the driver. Authorities are investigating the incident for potential ties to terrorism.
The Cybertruck had been rented in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas early Wednesday morning. After driving along Las Vegas Boulevard, it stopped at the hotel and exploded. Surveillance footage captured the moments leading up to the blast. Police found scorched gasoline containers and firework mortars among the wreckage of the burned truck.
Despite the severity of the explosion, the Cybertruck’s design helped limit the damage to the hotel valet area. Tesla CEO Elon Musk provided authorities with valuable information, including video footage to aid in the investigation. The explosion was determined to have been caused by fireworks or a bomb in the truck’s bed and was unrelated to the vehicle itself.
The FBI is looking into the incident, and authorities have not disclosed the name of the driver. Police suspect the driver may have had a military background. Musk confirmed that the vehicle’s telemetry showed no issues at the time of the explosion.
Wednesday, an explosion occurred following a deadly attack in New Orleans, where a driver crashed a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street as they celebrated New Year’s, resulting in at least 15 deaths and multiple injuries. The FBI has launched an investigation into this incident, labeling it as an “act of terrorism.”
Turo, a company that facilitates car rentals through an online platform for individual vehicle owners, has confirmed that their service was used to rent vehicles involved in the tragic events that unfolded both in New Orleans and Las Vegas. The company has assured full cooperation with the authorities in the ongoing investigations.
In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for Turo mentioned that there was no prior indication of any criminal background for either renter involved in the attacks in Las Vegas and New Orleans, which could have flagged them as security threats.
Sheriff Joe Lombardo McMahill highlighted that it seems to be a “coincidence” that the truck used in the New Orleans attack was also rented through Turo. Authorities are actively delving into the circumstances surrounding these incidents with a focus on possible connections to other attacks globally.
McMahill stated, “We are absolutely investigating any connectivity to what happened in New Orleans as well as other attacks that have been occurring around the world.”
This report includes contributions from CNN’s Paul P. Murphy. For further updates and exclusive content from CNN, readers are encouraged to sign up for an account at CNN.com.
