1 dead, 7 hurt after cybertruck explosion outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas

Update: Man killed in Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion was active-duty US Army soldier, officials say

Officials are looking into the possible connection between the Las Vegas explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck and an attack that left 15 dead in New Orleans, President Joe Biden said in a Wednesday evening address to the nation.

One person was killed and seven suffered minor injuries when the Cybertruck exploded Wednesday morning in front of the entrance to Trump International, Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference.

The person who died was in the Cybertruck, and McMahill said it was unclear if it was a man or a woman.

According to Jeremy Schwartz, acting special agent in charge for the FBI’s Las Vegas office, authorities also are trying to determine whether the explosion was an act of terrorism but believe it was an “isolated incident.”

McMahill acknowledged the possible political implications.

“It’s a Tesla truck, and we know that Elon Musk is working with President-elect (Donald) Trump and it’s the Trump tower, so there’s obviously things to be concerned about there, and it’s something we continue to look at,” he said.

Police were told the truck pulled up to the hotel entrance and emitted smoke, which was followed by a large explosion, McMahill said. He played a drone video for reporters that showed gasoline canisters, camp fuel cans and firework mortars in the bed of the truck.

The hotel was evacuated, and many guests went to Resorts World, he said. According to a spokesperson for Clark County, two people were taken to a hospital. Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Billy Samuels later said they had been released.

Ties to New Orleans attack?

Biden was briefed on the explosion, which happened hours after a driver crashed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ French Quarter early New Year’s Day, killing 15 people before being fatally shot by police.

The truck that exploded in Las Vegas and the truck used in New Orleans were both rented from the Turo app, a “coincidence” authorities will continue to examine, McMahill said.

Biden said the driver who committed the New Orleans attack, a U.S. Army veteran whose truck carried the Islamic State group’s flag, had posted videos on social media before the attack in which he said he was inspired by the Islamic State and wanted to kill.

McMahill said authorities are investigating the possibility of a connection between the two events but have not found any indication that the Las Vegas explosion was tied to IS.

“We’re very well aware of what has happened in New Orleans with the event that occurred there and the number of victims there and the additional IDs, so, as you can imagine, with an explosion here on iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe,” he said. “We’re looking for secondary devices. We’re taking it slow.”

He said there does not appear to be any additional threat.

The truck was rented from Turo in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 a.m., according to McMahill. He said it drove up and down Las Vegas Boulevard before pulling into the Trump property.

McMahill said officials know who rented the truck but are not ready to release an identification until they are positive about the name and have notified family.

A Wednesday statement attributed to a Turo spokesman said the company is “heartbroken by the violence perpetrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and our prayers are with the victims and families.”

“We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents,” the statement continued. “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. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards in risk management, thanks to our world-class trust and safety technologies and teams that include experienced former law enforcement professionals.”

In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote: “The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. … We’ve never seen anything like this.”

In a later post, he wrote, “We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.”

What witnesses saw

Oscar Terol, who was visiting Las Vegas from Barcelona, Spain, and staying at the hotel, said he saw the explosion through the lobby windows. The force was so strong it knocked him down, he said.

He said he saw what looked like fireworks and heard a series of booms.

The fire was reported just after 8:40 a.m. at 2000 Fashion Show Drive, according to the Clark County Fire Department’s PulsePoint app.

Fashion Show Drive was closed in both directions from Sammy Davis Jr. Drive to Las Vegas Boulevard South, according to the Regional Transportation Commission’s X account.

Ana Bruce, who was visiting from Brazil, said she heard three explosions.

“The first one where we saw the fire, the second one, I guess, was the battery or something like that, and the third was the big one that smoked the entire area and was the moment when everyone was told to evacuate and stay away,” Bruce said.

Her travel companion, Alcides Antunes, took a video that showed flames on the sides of the silver vehicle.

Mike Campbell, a guest at the hotel, said he heard a loud boom that shook the windows of the tower. When he took the elevator to pick up his car around 9:15 a.m., it smelled like paint thinner, he said.

‘The smoke was terrible’

Tom and Debra Miller, visiting from Iowa, were in the elevator on the opposite side of Trump tower when the explosion went off. They were evacuated quickly and had not been able to return as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Debra Miller said the couple spoke to a man who was having breakfast in the lobby when the explosion went off.

“It blew him out of his seat, he said. The smoke was terrible. I don’t know if it was the battery, but I can still smell it on me,” she said. “I’m just thankful they didn’t do it on the Strip last night when everybody was out.”

Access points to the parking garages for the Fashion Show mall were blocked by police Wednesday, but multiple people who were inside shopping had no idea an explosion had even occurred. Guests interviewed at Resorts World, which is located near Trump International, didn’t know about the explosion, either.

Eric Trump, a son of Trump and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, posted about the fire on X, praising the Fire Department and local law enforcement “for their swift response and professionalism.”

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X. Contact Tony Garcia at tgarcia@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307. Follow @TonyGLVNews on X. Contact Patrick Blennerhassett at pblennerhassett@reviewjournal.com. Review-Journal staff writer Akiya Dillon and The Associated Press contributed to this report.