Las Vegas authorities are piecing together the explosive event that took place on New Year's Day outside the Trump International Hotel, where a rented Tesla Cybertruck exploded, leaving one man dead and seven others injured. The driver, identified as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was an active-duty U.S. Army Master Sergeant and Green Beret who had previously served in Afghanistan.

The incident occurred shortly after Livelsberger arrived in Las Vegas, having rented the Cybertruck in Colorado just days earlier. Surveillance footage captured him driving the vehicle along the Strip before parking it near the hotel around 8:40 a.m. Moments later, the vehicle exploded in a ball of flames.

According to the Los Angeles Times, investigations revealed that Livelsberger had shot himself in the head before the explosion, as identified by the coroner’s office. A handgun was found at his feet, and evidence indicates he was dead prior to the blast. His body was severely degraded, prompting authorities to rely on military identification along with personal items to confirm his identity (ABC News).

Authorities are treating the explosion as a potential act of terrorism, with no solid motive identified as of yet. There are ongoing investigations into whether Livelsberger targeted the Trump property specifically, which is significant given the vehicle's connection to Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk, a known supporter of the president-elect.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has stated that they tracked Livelsberger’s movements using Tesla’s charging records and surveillance cameras. The truck was last charged in Kingman, Arizona hours prior to the explosion (USA Today).

Livelsberger’s background reveals a complex figure; decorated for his military service, he had recently expressed controversial opinions online about topics such as U.S. foreign policy, specifically the withdrawal from Afghanistan (BBC). Furthermore, his family noted a recent dispute leading to his prolonged absence from home, further complicating the snapshot of his mental state leading up to the tragic incident.

Investigators are also looking into possible connections between this case and a separate attack earlier the same day in New Orleans, where another man drove into a crowd, resulting in multiple casualties. Both suspects share a military background, having served in the Army at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg); however, no direct links have been established between the two (ABC News).

The authorities are working closely with federal agencies, including the FBI, as part of a broader investigative effort to discern the strategies and motivations behind the Cybertruck explosion. As investigations continue, a strong police presence remains around the hotel, with the community on alert.

For further details, refer to the full reports from ABC News, USA Today and BBC.