Authorities are investigating a Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning, which they believe involved fireworks, gas tanks, and camping fuel connected to a detonation system controlled by the driver.
The incident is being treated as a potential terrorist act, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation. During a press conference, Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that a vehicle fire was reported at the hotel shortly after 8:40 a.m. Responders arrived to find a 2024 Cybertruck engulfed in flames.
“There is one deceased individual inside the Cybertruck, but we do not yet know whether it is a male or female,” McMahill said. Seven others sustained minor injuries due to the explosion.
Footage shared on social media shows the vehicle consumed by smoke as emergency crews worked to extinguish the flames. Jeremy Schwartz, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas division, confirmed that the FBI is assisting in the investigation.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo announced on X (formerly Twitter) that his office is coordinating with authorities and providing necessary resources. The Cybertruck, according to law enforcement, had been rented through the car-sharing platform Turo. CNN has reached out to Turo for comment.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows the driver passing the Trump Hotel about an hour before the explosion, circling back, and stopping in front of the hotel moments before the detonation.
Authorities are also examining whether the incident is connected to a recent attack in New Orleans, where a suspect drove a rented truck into a crowd, though no link has been established yet.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk addressed the incident on X, stating that the company is investigating. “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,” Musk wrote.
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, also commented on X, emphasizing the safety of guests and staff as the top priority. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism,” he added.
Galit Ventura Rozen, a guest at the nearby Resorts World Las Vegas, recounted witnessing the aftermath from the 62nd floor. “We saw a huge cloud of smoke … we didn’t know what was going on,” she said, noting the arrival of ambulances and police cars. She later recorded a group of Trump Hotel guests gathered in a parking lot.
Sheriff McMahill assured the public that the investigation is ongoing and that his team is aware of the New Orleans attack. Authorities are taking precautions by searching for any secondary devices to ensure community safety. “There does not appear to be any further threat to our community here now,” McMahill said. “But obviously, a Cybertruck, the Trump Hotel – there are lots of questions that we have to answer as we move forward.”
The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover the motive and circumstances surrounding the explosion.
*CNN’s Jack Hannah and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report.*
Source: cnn.com