Sheriff Kevin McMahill said authorities knew who rented the truck via the Turo app in Colorado, but were not releasing the name until investigators determined if it was the same person who died.
McMahill said video captured at Telsa charging stations provided by CEO Elon Musk helped authorities track the vehicle’s journey. It arrived in Las Vegas about 7.30am, then drove an hour later into the valet area of the Trump International Hotel, where it sat 15 to 20 seconds before exploding.
The Cybertruck exploded outside Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas.Credit: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Video presented at a news conference showed a tumble of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosive devices crowded into the back of the pickup. The truck bed walls remained intact because the blast shot straight up rather than to the sides.
McMahill said all avenues were being explored in view of the New Orleans attack five hours earlier, in which a man rammed his truck at high speed into crowds celebrating New Year’s Eve in the city’s famous French Quarter.
“We’re very well aware of what has happened in New Orleans with the event that occurred there,” McMahill told reporters.
“As you can imagine, with an explosion here on an iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe.”
The vehicle fire was first reported about 8.40am, when the Cybertruck pulled up to the hotel, a bright gold building towering above Fashion Drive, billowing smoke.
Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, who has become one of the most influential figures in Trump’s orbit, said the blast was unrelated to the Cybertruck itself.
“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 said in a post on X. “All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion.”
Telemetry involves the automatic collection of data from remote sources, transmitting it back to a central source so it can later be analysed.
Musk, who occasionally uses his own Cybertruck when he joins Trump’s motorcade to events, issued an earlier statement saying: “We’ve never seen anything like this. The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. Will post more information as soon as we learn anything.”
Trump’s son Eric, who helps head the Trump organisation, also issued a post on X, telling followers: “The safety and wellbeing of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism.”
The Cybertruck was unveiled by Tesla in 2019, and received attention due to its futuristic angular design made of stainless steel and armoured glass. It also has autopilot and driver assistance features and retails for about $US80,000 ($129,000).
Wednesday’s explosion is not the first time Musk’s electric vehicles have been investigated. In 2024, the US National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation into a crash and fire involving a Tesla electric semi-truck on a Californian highway.
Vehicle experts say electric vehicle fires burn differently than those in cars with combustion engines, often lasting longer and being harder to extinguish.
With Reuters, AP
