Controlled Media Largely Mum on Explosion of Tesla Truck in front of Trump Building

Authorities Investigate Tesla Cybertruck Explosion Outside Las Vegas Trump Hotel as Possible Terrorist Act

Authorities suspect fireworks, gas tanks, and camping fuel were linked to a detonation system controlled by the driver of a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside a Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning.

The incident is being treated as a potential terrorist act, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

Incident Details

At a press conference, Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that emergency crews responded to a vehicle fire at the hotel shortly after 8:40 a.m. When they arrived, a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck was engulfed in flames.

“There is one deceased individual inside the Cybertruck, and at this time, we cannot confirm whether it is a male or female,” McMahill said.

Seven other people sustained minor injuries from the explosion. Video footage shared on social media showed the Cybertruck engulfed in smoke as fire crews worked to extinguish the flames.

Ongoing Investigation

The FBI’s Las Vegas office is assisting with the investigation, according to Jeremy Schwartz, acting special agent in charge. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo stated on social media that his office is coordinating with law enforcement and providing necessary resources.

The Cybertruck was rented through Turo, a peer-to-peer car rental service, according to a law enforcement source. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the Cybertruck passing by the Trump Hotel about an hour before the explosion. It then returned and stopped in front of the hotel, where it detonated seconds later.

Authorities are also investigating potential links between this explosion and a recent attack in New Orleans. In that incident, a suspect used a Turo-rented truck to ram into a crowd, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens. No direct connection has been established so far.

Tesla and Trump Organization Respond

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed in a statement on social media that the explosion was unrelated to the Cybertruck’s design.

“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,” Musk wrote.

Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, emphasized guest and staff safety in a post on social media, thanking the Las Vegas Fire Department and law enforcement for their swift response.

Eyewitness Accounts and Reactions

Galit Ventura Rozen, a guest at the nearby Resorts World Las Vegas, recalled witnessing the explosion from her 62nd-floor window.

“We saw a huge cloud of smoke and didn’t know what was happening,” she said. “Then I noticed a line of ambulances and police cars arriving at the scene.”

She later recorded video showing a group of Trump Hotel guests gathered in a nearby parking lot.

Community Safety Measures

Sheriff McMahill stated that investigators are actively searching for additional devices to ensure public safety.

“There does not appear to be any further threat to our community here now,” he said. “However, given the nature of the incident—a Cybertruck, the Trump Hotel—there are many unanswered questions as we move forward.”

The investigation remains active as officials work to uncover the motives and details behind the explosion.

The incident has drawn reaction from the social networking community who have expressed skepticism at authorities' ability to ultimately establish a motive as has been the case in other mass shootings and murders in the Las Vegas area, while Tesla Chief Elon Musk's status as an influential billionaire has been raised as a motive behind a lack of headline reporting of the incident by major news outlets.

Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News