By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-01-02 20:11:24 | Updated at 2025-01-05 02:40:29
2 days ago
The person inside the Tesla Cybertruck that burst into flames outside US president-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel suffered a gunshot to the head before the explosion, officials said on Thursday.
Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference that a handgun was found at the feet of the man who has been identified as Matthew Livelsberger. Officials believe the shot was self-inflicted.
Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners, the Army said in a statement. He had served in the US Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said.
He was awarded two Bronze Stars, including one with a valour device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valour. Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said on Thursday in a post on X that it was “conducting law enforcement activity” at a home in Colorado Springs related to Wednesday’s explosion but provided no other details.
Both Livelsberger and Jabbar spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina that is home to multiple Army special operations units. However, one of the officials who spoke to Associated Press said there is no overlap in their assignments at the base, now called Fort Liberty.
