Anamika Dey, editor
Brief news
- Matthew Alan Livelsberger, a decorated Army veteran suffering from PTSD, intentionally exploded a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, viewing it as a “wake-up call” for Americans regarding weak government leadership.
- Investigators found journal entries on his phone expressing his frustrations about the state of the country and personal grievances.
- Livelsberger died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the explosion; he had a history of military service and personal struggles.
Detailed news
Police said on Friday that a decorated Army veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder labeled the leadership of the United States government “weak” and appeared to accept that he intentionally blew up a Tesla Cybertruck at the door of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day.
Investigators were able to access one of the two phones that were discovered in the Cybertruck, according to Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. They were able to view writing in an application that appeared to be a journal, which documented some of Matthew Alan Livelsberger’s movements and state of mind from December 21 to New Year’s Eve.
According to Koren, there are two letters in the phone app that point to a possible purpose for the explosion. He writes a message to “fellow service members, veterans, and all Americans” in which he urges people to “wake up” since the leadership of the country is “weak” and “only serves to enrich themselves.” All of these individuals are Americans.
In a second letter, Livelsberger seemed to provide additional insight into his thought process.
A second letter stated, “We are the United States of America, the best country… to ever exist, but right now, we are terminally ill and heading towards collapse.” This statement was made in reference to the current state of affairs. It was not an act of terrorism that took place. A wake-up call was what it was. Spectacles and violent acts are the only things that Americans pay attention to. There is no better way for me to convey my message than by doing a stunt that involves explosions and fireworks… It is imperative that I rid my mind of the brothers that I have lost and free myself from the burden of the lives that I have taken for myself.
According to Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas division, the investigation, in conjunction with a consultation with the Army, determined that Livelsberger most likely suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, the investigators are aware that there may have been “family issues or personal grievances in his own life that may have been contributing factors.”
According to Koren, Livelsberger voiced an assortment of other problems, which included concerns regarding conflicts in other parts of the world, as well as domestic and societal issues. He emphasized that investigators are still going over the evidence that was discovered on the cellphone, and Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that investigators have been unable to access a second phone that was discovered in the Cybertruck.
According to Evans, the authorities have not managed to establish any concrete linkages between the explosion that occurred on the Cybertruck and the suspected terrorist incident that took place in New Orleans a few hours earlier and resulted in the deaths of fourteen people on Bourbon Street.
The only connections that detectives have found appear to be fortuitous and accidental, such as the fact that both suspects hired their automobiles from the same firm.
In addition, Evans stated that Livelsberger did not have any ill will toward the incoming president, Donald Trump.
On Thursday, the Las Vegas police department announced that Livelsberger had been positively identified as the person responsible for the explosion. According to the police, the Clark County coroner identified the cause of death as a self-inflicted gunshot wound before he passed away.
The authorities have stated that they were able to identify the severely charred body of Livelsberger through a variety of methods, including those involving family DNA and tattoos.
According to the officers in charge of law enforcement, Livelsberger, who is 37 years old, was on leave from the military that had been allowed when he rented a Tesla Cybertruck and drove there from Colorado to Las Vegas. It was then discovered that fireworks and gas that were stored in the bed of that truck would catch fire once he parked it right outside the entrance to the Trump hotel.
During the nearly twenty years that Liverlsberger served in the military, he was described as a devoted, patriotic, and good teammate by others who served beside him. Two troops who had served alongside him in recent years both expressed surprise at his conduct, with one of them stating that he was “not a violent person.”
One soldier who served with Livelsberger stated that he frequently shared his political opinions on social media. He described the majority of the posts as “patriotic” and very pro-military, but he also mentioned that it caused a split with some of his fellow troops due to their differences in political beliefs.
According to the statement provided by the individual, “He posted a lot of political messages on social media, which made some of us feel uncomfortable.” Because they are not authorized to speak publicly about other service members, the troops requested that their names be suppressed to protect their privacy.
Over the course of around three years, Livelsberger’s ex-girlfriend, Alicia Arritt, revealed to NBC News that she had a relationship with him on and off. It was her assertion that he was a proud soldier who also struggled with severe pain, which she claimed he concealed from his superiors.
During the time that she knew him, she stated that he did not exhibit any overtly political behavior. She also mentioned that she had lost contact with him during the past few years, but that she had recently received text messages from him. Within the communications, it was mentioned that he had rented a Cybertruck; however, there was no indication of what he was going to do next.
The Independent was also informed by Livelsberger’s uncle, Dean Livelsberger, that Livelsberger was a very patriotic American who was a devoted follower of Trump’s. A request for an interview with NBC News was not immediately met with a response from him.
NBC News conducted a study of social media sites that appear to have been owned by Livelsberger. These pages depict a man who has recently given birth to a kid and has traveled extensively. Officials from the Army stated that he had initially joined active service in the year 2006, had previously served in the National Guard and the Army Reserve, and had made his return to active duty in December of 2012, during which time he was a member of the United States Army special operations.
On the internet, Livelsberger documented his travels to Thailand and Italy on the website Tripadvisor. He also provided photographs to Google Maps, which included images of food at a bar bistro in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a chapel in France. Additionally, he warned members of a club in the state of Georgia of a scam that occurred there. In addition, he posted about sites that he visited in Colorado, which is where he lived.
In addition to that, Livelsberger had a rather minimal internet presence, which consisted of a Facebook profile and a LinkedIn page.
During the course of his military career, Livelsberger served in the Republic of the Congo in 2014, Ukraine in 2016, Tajikistan in 2016, and Afghanistan in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
According to the records that are available to the public, Livelsberger was married in 2012 and then divorced in 2018. There is also a marriage application that was submitted in the year 2022. Additionally, in the year 2022, a lady with whom Livelsberger was reportedly involved in a romantic relationship uploaded photographs to the internet that displayed her wearing a wedding ring.
In the month of September, Livelsberger uploaded two photographs to his Facebook page. The first photograph depicted him and his partner holding a newborn baby, and the second photograph showed him holding the child while standing in front of a physical body of water. His right arm was covered in tattoos, which law enforcement would later use to assist in identifying his body following the Cybertruck explosion. One of the tattoos displayed a recent addition to his tattoo sleeve, which was a triple-crescent sign consisting of three moons that interlocked with each other.
Source : CNBC news
