Tesla packed with firework mortars and gas cannisters exploded outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel
Eric Trump commended both the fire department and local law enforcement, noting their “swift response and professionalism.”
TroibNews 
**LAS VEGAS** — Authorities discovered firework mortars and camp fuel canisters crammed into the back of a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas early Wednesday. The blast resulted in the death of a suspect inside the vehicle and prompted a thorough investigation into potential terrorism.
Officials from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark County Fire Department reported that the explosion claimed a life and caused minor injuries to seven others in proximity. As of Wednesday afternoon, investigators were still working to recover the body from the truck and begin processing the evidence within it. President Joe Biden has been informed about the explosion.
“Our number one goal is to ensure that we have the proper identification of the subject involved in this incident,” stated Jeremy Schwartz, the acting special agent in charge for the FBI’s Las Vegas office. “Following that, our second objective is to determine whether this was an act of terrorism or not.”
Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Police Department noted that authorities have identified the individual who rented the truck through the Turo app in Colorado but are withholding the name until they confirm whether it matches the deceased.
McMahill added that surveillance footage from Tesla charging stations, made available by CEO Elon Musk, assisted in tracing the vehicle’s path, which arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 AM and entered the valet area of the Trump International Hotel about an hour later, remaining there for approximately 15 to 20 seconds before the explosion occurred.
During an afternoon news conference, video footage showcased a mix of charred firework mortars, canisters, and other explosive materials packed into the truck's bed. The walls of the truck bed remained intact as the blast propelled directly upward.
Musk tweeted on Wednesday afternoon, “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. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion.”
In a previous post, Musk indicated that his senior team was investigating the incident, stating, “We’ve never seen anything like this.”
Musk has recently become affiliated with Trump’s inner circle. However, neither Trump nor Musk was present in Las Vegas during the early hours of Wednesday. Both attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve celebration at his estate in South Florida.
Musk invested an estimated $250 million during the presidential campaign to support the former president and has often been a guest at Trump's resort. Trump has appointed Musk, recognized as the world’s richest man, to co-lead a new initiative aimed at reducing government size and spending.
“This is a Tesla truck, and we know that Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump, and it’s the Trump Tower,” McMahill remarked in response to inquiries about potential political connections. “So there’s obviously things to be concerned about and it’s something we continue to look at.”
The incident occurred just hours after a separate attack in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter, where a driver drove a truck into a crowd, resulting in at least 15 fatalities before being shot dead by police. That event is under investigation as a terrorist attack, with authorities suspecting the driver acted in concert with others.
“We are absolutely investigating any connectivity to what happened in New Orleans as well as other attacks that have been occurring around the world,” McMahill affirmed. “We aren’t ruling anything out.”
Turo released a statement indicating its cooperation with the investigation, adding, “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.”
Witness Ana Bruce, visiting from Brazil, reported hearing 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 noted.
Her travel companion, Alcides Antunes, shared video footage capturing flames near the sides of the vehicle.
The 64-story Trump hotel is located just off the Las Vegas Strip, opposite the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping mall.
Eric Trump, a son of the president-elect, took to X to comment on the fire, commending the fire department and local law enforcement for their “swift response and professionalism.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
Officials from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark County Fire Department reported that the explosion claimed a life and caused minor injuries to seven others in proximity. As of Wednesday afternoon, investigators were still working to recover the body from the truck and begin processing the evidence within it. President Joe Biden has been informed about the explosion.
“Our number one goal is to ensure that we have the proper identification of the subject involved in this incident,” stated Jeremy Schwartz, the acting special agent in charge for the FBI’s Las Vegas office. “Following that, our second objective is to determine whether this was an act of terrorism or not.”
Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Police Department noted that authorities have identified the individual who rented the truck through the Turo app in Colorado but are withholding the name until they confirm whether it matches the deceased.
McMahill added that surveillance footage from Tesla charging stations, made available by CEO Elon Musk, assisted in tracing the vehicle’s path, which arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 AM and entered the valet area of the Trump International Hotel about an hour later, remaining there for approximately 15 to 20 seconds before the explosion occurred.
During an afternoon news conference, video footage showcased a mix of charred firework mortars, canisters, and other explosive materials packed into the truck's bed. The walls of the truck bed remained intact as the blast propelled directly upward.
Musk tweeted on Wednesday afternoon, “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. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion.”
In a previous post, Musk indicated that his senior team was investigating the incident, stating, “We’ve never seen anything like this.”
Musk has recently become affiliated with Trump’s inner circle. However, neither Trump nor Musk was present in Las Vegas during the early hours of Wednesday. Both attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve celebration at his estate in South Florida.
Musk invested an estimated $250 million during the presidential campaign to support the former president and has often been a guest at Trump's resort. Trump has appointed Musk, recognized as the world’s richest man, to co-lead a new initiative aimed at reducing government size and spending.
“This is a Tesla truck, and we know that Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump, and it’s the Trump Tower,” McMahill remarked in response to inquiries about potential political connections. “So there’s obviously things to be concerned about and it’s something we continue to look at.”
The incident occurred just hours after a separate attack in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter, where a driver drove a truck into a crowd, resulting in at least 15 fatalities before being shot dead by police. That event is under investigation as a terrorist attack, with authorities suspecting the driver acted in concert with others.
“We are absolutely investigating any connectivity to what happened in New Orleans as well as other attacks that have been occurring around the world,” McMahill affirmed. “We aren’t ruling anything out.”
Turo released a statement indicating its cooperation with the investigation, adding, “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.”
Witness Ana Bruce, visiting from Brazil, reported hearing 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 noted.
Her travel companion, Alcides Antunes, shared video footage capturing flames near the sides of the vehicle.
The 64-story Trump hotel is located just off the Las Vegas Strip, opposite the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping mall.
Eric Trump, a son of the president-elect, took to X to comment on the fire, commending the fire department and local law enforcement for their “swift response and professionalism.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
