LAS VEGAS: A Tesla Cybertruck caught fire outside the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on Wednesday, leading to the death of the driver and injuries to seven others. Officials are now investigating if this tragic incident was an act of terrorism.
Witnesses documented the shocking scene with videos, showing the Cybertruck engulfed in flames while parked outside the hotel. This incident came shortly after a man drove a truck into a crowd celebrating New Year’s Day in New Orleans, resulting in 15 fatalities.
The Trump International Hotel, part of Donald Trump’s business empire, will soon welcome him back to the White House as President-elect. In an interesting twist, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk supported Trump during his recent presidential campaign and serves as an advisor to him.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Kevin McMahill held a press conference in the afternoon to address the situation, noting the connections between the vehicle, the hotel, and the recent escalations in violence. Meanwhile, FBI special agent Jeremy Schwartz stated that they were still trying to determine if the explosion was indeed a terrorist act.
“Everyone wants to know if we can officially label this a terrorist attack. That’s what we’re working on,” Schwartz explained. The FBI confirmed they know who was driving the truck, which had been rented from Colorado, but they haven’t released the driver’s name yet.
Musk also made a statement, clarifying that the explosion was not due to any issues with the Cybertruck itself. "We have confirmed that the explosion resulted from large fireworks or possibly a bomb that was in the back of the rented Cybertruck,” he mentioned in a post on social media.
A deceased individual was found inside the Cybertruck, while seven others had minor injuries due to the explosion, according to Sheriff McMahill. He noted that both the Cybertruck involved in this incident and the vehicle used in the New Orleans tragedy were rented through a car-sharing service called Turo.
A spokesperson for Turo indicated that they did not believe either renter had any history that would make them a security risk. "We are actively cooperating with law enforcement as they look into both events," the spokesperson confirmed.
The Cybertruck arrived at the Trump Hotel at 8:40 a.m. local time, and police were already on alert because of the earlier attack in New Orleans. The FBI revealed that they discovered a potential explosive device in the truck used in that incident.
Firefighters in Las Vegas responded just four minutes after the fire was reported and managed to extinguish the flames quickly. Two of the injured individuals were taken to hospitals for minor injuries.
Following the fire, the Trump Hotel underwent an evacuation, with guests being relocated to a different hotel for their safety. Eric Trump, who is the executive vice president of the Trump Organization and also the son of Donald Trump, shared an update about the fire on social media, describing it as an electric vehicle incident at the hotel’s entrance.
