Musk says cybertruck explosion near Vegas hotel likely terrorism

Peter Vercoe, Max Zimmerman and Pierre Paulden, Bloomberg News on Jan 1, 2025

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Elon Musk said that the explosion of a Tesla Inc. Cybertruck outside the Trump Las Vegas hotel on Wednesday was likely an act of terror and suggested that it could be linked to a truck rampage in New Orleans that killed at least 15 people.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said a 2024 Cybertruck pulled up to the glass entrance doors of the Trump hotel and smoke then appeared from the vehicle before a large explosion. The driver is dead and seven people have minor injuries, the authorities said.

In a series of posts on X, Musk said a Tesla team had confirmed the explosion was caused by “very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried” in the rented Cybertruck. Both the Cybertruck and the pickup truck used in New Orleans were rented from Turo, Musk said, adding that “perhaps they are linked in some way.”

Turo is a car-sharing marketplace that allows hosts to rent out their vehicles.

The Las Vegas incident unfolded as the FBI and police investigate the attack on a crowd in New Orleans on Wednesday morning that killed at least 15 and injured more than 30.

The bureau said authorities found an ISIS flag and that officials are working to determine any potential associations or affiliations the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, may have had with terrorist groups. Improvised explosive devices were found, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the developments who asked not to be identified.

The Las Vegas police, referencing the New Orleans incident, said they were taking all precautions to keep the community safe, including searching for secondary devices. They added that there doesn’t appear to be any further threat at this time.