LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — The person who authorities believe died in the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel was an active-duty U.S. Army soldier, three U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Two law enforcement officials identified the man inside the futuristic-looking pickup truck as Matthew Livelsberger. The law enforcement officials spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.
Three U.S. officials said Livelsberger was an active-duty Army member, who spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina that is home to Army special forces command. The officials also spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of his service.
The truck explosion came hours after a driver, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot to death by police. That crash was being investigated as a terrorist attack and police believe the driver was not acting alone.
Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, also spent time at Fort Bragg but one official said so far there is no overlap in their assignments there.
Wednesday night, a large police presence emerged near a Colorado Springs residence, after Las Vegas police confirmed that the car used in the explosion was rented in Colorado. Denver FBI agents confirmed Thursday morning that the investigation was related to the explosion on the Strip, though it’s currently unclear if Livelsberger is from the area.
The FAA announced a ban on drone flights above both the New Orleans and Las Vegas incident sites. The New Orleans temporary flight restriction prohibits drones within one-and-a-half nautical miles of the site up to 1,000 feet above the ground, according to a bulletin to pilots. The Las Vegas temporary flight restriction is a one-nautical mile radius ban up to 3,000 feet above the ground.
This is a developing story, check back later for updates.
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