An explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning has triggered an investigation into potential terrorism links.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the fire and explosion near the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and has directed his team to offer any federal assistance needed, the White House said.
A rented Tesla Cybertruck packed with fireworks, gasoline canisters, and camp fuel erupted outside the iconic hotel, leaving one person dead and seven others injured.
The explosion, which occurred in the valet area of the hotel, sent shockwaves through the Las Vegas Strip, and authorities are now piecing together the incident’s details.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that the driver of the truck was killed, with nearby bystanders suffering minor injuries.
While police initially viewed the explosion as isolated, investigators are leaving no stone unturned as they explore possible connections to another deadly attack in New Orleans earlier that day.
The Cybertruck had been rented in Colorado through the Turo car-sharing platform, and license plate readers tracked its arrival in Las Vegas that morning.
Investigators were able to track its route using footage from Tesla charging stations, provided by CEO Elon Musk, who also assisted by unlocking the vehicle after it auto-locked in the blast. Video played during a press conference revealed the truck’s cargo: fireworks-style mortars, gasoline, and camping fuel canisters.
Musk took to social media shortly after the explosion to share his initial findings, confirming that the incident was unrelated to the Cybertruck itself, instead attributing it to the fireworks and/or bomb-like devices in the vehicle’s bed. “We’ve never seen anything like this,” Musk said on X, his social media platform. He later speculated that the explosion “appears likely to be an act of terrorism,” drawing a potential link to the New Orleans attack, in which a driver rammed a truck into a crowd, killing 15 people.
While law enforcement has yet to confirm any direct connection between the two incidents, the FBI, ATF, and other federal agencies are investigating every lead.
Turo, the car-sharing service, has offered its full cooperation with the ongoing probe and assured the public that the renter did not have any prior criminal history that would have flagged them as a security risk.
Elon Musk, a close ally of president-elect Donald Trump, also publicly acknowledged the gravity of the situation, remarking on the security implications due to the Trump Hotel’s association. “Obviously, a Cybertruck, the Trump Hotel, there’s lots of questions that we have to answer,” said Sheriff McMahill, hinting at the possibility of a political motive.
As investigations continue, police are assuring the public that there is no ongoing threat to the community. However, questions remain about the motives behind the explosion and its possible links to the terror attack in New Orleans, with both incidents involving rented vehicles from the same platform.
In the wake of the Las Vegas explosion, Trump’s son Eric Trump took to social media to reassure the public about the safety of guests at the hotel, stating that “the safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority.”
Security at the Trump International Hotels in Las Vegas and Chicago has been ramped up, and authorities are keeping a close watch on any further developments.
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