The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has released a detailed after-action report on the January 1, 2025, Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel. The incident involved 37-year-old Army Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after detonating the rented vehicle, injuring six people. The report highlights the response efforts while recommending improvements for future incidents.
On January 1, 2025, hours after New Year's Eve celebrations on the Las Vegas Strip, Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old active-duty U.S. Army Special Forces soldier known as a Green Beret, drove a rented Tesla Cybertruck to the valet area of the Trump International Hotel. Authorities determined that Livelsberger shot himself in the head just before triggering an explosion using fireworks, camping fuel containers, high-octane racing fuel, gasoline canisters, and unexploded commercial fireworks loaded into the vehicle. The blast, described as a premeditated vehicle-borne improvised explosive device with potential for mass casualties, injured six people inside the hotel and caused limited structural damage primarily to the truck's interior.
Livelsberger, who had served in the Army since 2006 including a deployment to Afghanistan in 2009, was on leave from his assignment in Germany at the time. Investigators recovered his military identification, a handgun near his feet, a second legally purchased gun, passport, credit cards, iPhone, and smartwatch from the vehicle. His marriage was under strain due to an alleged affair, with his wife—mother of their baby daughter—ending the relationship six days prior, prompting him to leave their Colorado Springs home after Christmas. He rented the Cybertruck via the Turo app on December 28, 2024, in Denver and made stops to acquire firearms, ammunition, fireworks, and other materials en route to Las Vegas.
A manifesto on his phone, along with internet search history, social media activity, encrypted emails, notes, and ChatGPT interactions, was recovered but classified by the Department of Defense due to national security concerns, preventing public release. Excerpts from notes on his phone described the act not as a terrorist attack but a 'wake up call' to 'feckless leadership' in a U.S. 'near collapse,' stating, 'This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives.' One note was sent to former Navy SEAL and podcaster Shawn Ryan, though not fully released. There were no indications of ties to terror groups or animosity toward then-President-elect Donald Trump; Livelsberger showed signs of post-traumatic stress and a history of mental health issues including suicidal ideations.
The 78-page Las Vegas Metropolitan Police after-action report, released on November 3, 2025, details the rapid response: officers arrived at 8:44 a.m., four minutes after the 8:40 a.m. blast, with the Clark County Fire Department arriving one minute later to extinguish flames. A command post was established 14 minutes in, upwind about 200 yards away. Advanced tools like drones for visual inspection, 3D laser scanners for scene reconstruction, and digital forensics aided the investigation, which involved 62 search warrants over 10 days across agencies including the FBI, ATF, and Army Criminal Investigations Division. Sheriff Kevin McMahill praised the interagency coordination, writing, 'In over 35 years of policing, I have never experienced the level of connectivity between local, state and federal partners like I did during this investigation.'
The report identifies gaps, including unawareness of electric vehicle fire hazards like lithium-ion batteries, inadequate containment allowing evacuees in unsecured areas, communication lapses between agencies, dispatcher delays, limited protective equipment for crime scene analysts, and staffing shortages amid high tourist volumes. Recommendations include specialized EV training, reinforced containment protocols, quarterly joint meetings with fire personnel, extended emergency staffing for New Year's, improved liaison communications, updated equipment standards, technology training, and formalized employee wellness support. The incident occurred shortly after a deadly truck attack in New Orleans, sparking initial speculation of coordination, but no links were found.
