A highly decorated U.S. Army Green Beret who took his own life moments before a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas left behind notes claiming the New Year’s Day blast was meant as a wake-up call for the nation, according to investigators.
Matthew Livelsberger, 37, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, had served in the Army since 2006, deploying twice to Afghanistan. His handwritten and digital notes, recovered by authorities, outlined deep frustration with societal and political issues, suggesting the explosion was not an act of terrorism but a desperate call for Americans to recognize the country’s problems.
“This was not a terrorist attack. It was a wake-up call. Americans only respond to spectacles and violence,” Livelsberger wrote in one of his messages. He explained that the stunt involving fireworks and explosives inside the Cybertruck was intended to make a statement rather than cause widespread harm.
The blast caused minor injuries to seven people but left the Trump hotel largely undamaged. Officials confirmed that Livelsberger acted alone.
His notes covered a range of concerns, from domestic political unrest to international conflicts, including the ongoing war in Ukraine. In one letter, Livelsberger expressed his belief that the United States was “terminally ill” and headed toward inevitable collapse.
Tesla engineers assisted law enforcement by extracting data from the Cybertruck, which helped map Livelsberger’s route from Colorado to Las Vegas. “We still have a massive amount of digital evidence to analyze,” said Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren. “There are thousands of videos, documents, and other data points to review.”
Despite the location of the incident, investigators found no evidence that Livelsberger harbored hostility toward former President Donald Trump. On the contrary, one of his notes called for the nation to “rally around” Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, suggesting he admired both figures.
Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas at the time of the explosion, having attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve event in Florida the night before.
“Although this incident is tragic and highly publicized, it appears to be a case of a veteran struggling with PTSD and other mental health challenges,” said Spencer Evans, the FBI’s special agent in charge of the investigation.
Authorities are still trying to piece together how Livelsberger managed to shoot himself and detonate the explosives simultaneously. His body was discovered inside the charred remains of the Cybertruck, along with a firearm, fireworks, military ID, passport, credit cards, and electronic devices.
Livelsberger’s former girlfriend, Alicia Arritt, a former Army nurse, revealed that he had confided in her about his struggles with traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Arritt described him as a man battling internal demons from years of combat experience.
“He told me his life had been a personal hell,” Arritt said, sharing text messages where Livelsberger expressed his anguish and exhaustion from sleepless nights and haunting memories of war.
Livelsberger’s military record reflected a storied career. He was awarded five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device, along with a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. His assignments took him to Afghanistan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and the Congo. He had recently returned from a posting in Germany and was on approved leave when the incident occurred.
Authorities searched his Colorado Springs residence, where neighbors described him as a friendly, helpful individual. “He seemed like a regular guy,” said Cindy Helwig, a neighbor who last interacted with him when he borrowed a tool to fix his car.
The explosion in Las Vegas coincided with a separate, unrelated incident in New Orleans, where a man drove a truck into a crowd in the French Quarter, killing 14 people before being shot by police. The FBI is treating that event as a terrorist attack, though they believe the perpetrator, Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, acted alone.
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