The US Army veteran suspected of detonating a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas was a supporter of the Ukrainian nationalist cause, according to a photo posted on Facebook.
Thirty-seven-year-old Matthew Livelsberger was killed and seven bystanders injured when the Cybertruck he was driving exploded outside the hotel on Wednesday. Tesla CEO Elon Musk attributed the blast to explosive materials transported in the truck’s bed, and the FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism due to its proximity to the Trump International Hotel and a similar attack in New Orleans earlier that day.
In a photo purportedly shared by Liveslberger’s wife on Facebook in 2016, the former soldier can be seen wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with a Ukrainian coat of arms and the slogan “Slava Ukraini,” or “Glory to Ukraine.”
Everyone take a close look at the Ukraine shirt Matthew Livelsberger is wearing in this picture. And now, new photo surfaces from LinkedIn that he inquired about “a job” in Ukraine as well. Does this have anything to do with the Las Vegas attack? pic.twitter.com/VYCjgBKmit
Coined by Ukrainian nationalists in the early 20th century, the phrase was popularized by Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera’s wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). It was declared the official rallying cry of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2018 by President Pyotr Poroshenko, who came to power after the US-backed Maidan coup in 2014.
Since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, “Slava Ukraini” has become an internationally recognized slogan used by Kiev’s supporters. Before, however, it was predominantly used by neo-Nazis and other Ukrainian right-wing extremists.
At the time the photo was posted, Livelsberger was serving as an intelligence and operations specialist with the US Army’s elite Green Berets, according to his LinkedIn profile. An Army spokesman told CBS News that Livelsberger served for 19 years, and was stationed near Stuttgart in Germany before he took leave and returned to the US last month.
It is unclear whether Livelsberger had ever been to Ukraine, although the Army has confirmed that he completed multiple deployments in Afghanistan.
In one comment on LinkedIn, Livelsberger responded to an offer of work in Ukraine by saying that he knew a “top” special forces medical sergeant who had been “looking for just this opportunity.”
As a Green Beret, Livelsberger was based at Fort Liberty (formerly known as Fort Bragg) in North Carolina. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who killed 14 people in the vehicle attack in New Orleans on Wednesday morning, was also stationed at Fort Liberty, and deployed to Afghanistan. The Army is currently investigating whether the men knew each other, a spokesperson told AP.
Livelsberger and Jabbar both rented the vehicles used in their attacks via the car-sharing company Turo, a company spokesperson has confirmed. The spokesperson said that neither suspect “had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat.”
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US Army veteran who is suspected of being behind the New Orleans terror attack that resulted in 15 deaths, was “100% inspired” by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), the FBI confirmed on Thursday. He supposedly recorded a series of videos in which he pledged allegiance to the group, CNN reported on the same day, citing multiple officials.
The FBI is now digging deeper into the suspect’s radicalization path, a deputy assistant director of the bureau’s counterterrorism division, Christopher Raia, told a news conference on Thursday morning. He also said that investigators believe Jabbar acted alone.
“We do not assess at this point that anyone else is involved in this attack other than Shamsud-Din Jabbar,” Raia said. US President Joe Biden had said that federal investigators were examining a “possible connection” between the New Orleans attack and an explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas that took place on Wednesday.
CNN reported on Thursday that Jabbar made what it described as “chilling recordings” in which he shared some of his plans. The videos are being examined by the authorities, the broadcaster said, adding that it was not able to review them. The clips were reportedly made when the suspect was driving at night, possibly from Texas to Louisiana, the officials told CNN.
In the videos, Jabbar reportedly talked about his plans to gather his family for a fake “celebration” so he could kill them. He then said he changed his plans to join ISIS instead and also mentioned some “dreams” that had supposedly encouraged him to pledge allegiance to the terrorist organization.
Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers celebrating New Year’s Day on Bourbon Street in the early morning on January 1, 2025. He then exited the vehicle and opened fire on the responding police officers. The attack resulted in 15 deaths, including the suspect. Another 35 people were injured.
An ISIS flag was found in Jabbar’s vehicle at the scene. The FBI also said its specialists recovered two improvised explosive devices left by Jabbar in the Bourbon Street area.
The suspect was identified as a US Army veteran who served from 2007 to 2015 on active duty and continued in the Army Reserve until 2020. He was deployed to Afghanistan between 2009 and 2010.
In Vegas, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters that the Cybertruck bomber, Matthew Livelsberger, shot himself in the head before the vehicle exploded.
McMahill stated that a handgun was found at Livelsberger's feet. However, this is not definitive evidence about the timing of the death. Remember, the Cybertruck has Full Self-Driving...
🚨🇺🇸 LAS VEGAS POLICE: CYBERTRUCK BOMBER WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD
“We also discovered through the coroner's office that the individual had sustained a gunshot wound to the head prior to the detonation of the vehicle.
LAS VEGAS POLICE: FOUND SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPON IN CYBERTRUCK
LAS VEGAS POLICE: ALSO FOUND MILITARY ID IN CYBERTRUCK
LVMPD: SUBJECT WENT TO SEVERAL PLACES ALONG LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD
ATF: GUNS WERE LAWFULLY PURCHASED BY LIVELSBERGER; GUNS WERE PURCHASED ON DEC. 30
FBI: NO IDEOLOGY LEADING TO TRUMP, TESLA IN CYBERTRUCK BLAST
Here's where things get interesting...
At an earlier press conference in New Orleans:
FBI: NO 'DEFINITIVE LINK' BETWEEN ATTACK IN NOLA AND LAS VEGAS
Now:
LAS VEGAS POLICE: 'VERY STRANGE SIMILATIRIES' WITH NOLA CASE
It's always after the fact, but a CNN report stated the Department of Homeland Security warned about 'lone wolf' attacks last month.
"Lone offenders have historically used simple tactics, such as edged weapons, firearms, or vehicle ramming, due to their ease of access, ability to inflict mass casualties, and lack of required training," the DHS bulletin read.
According to a federal source close to the counter-terrorism community, another intelligence briefing released last summer indicated that pre-trained al-Qaeda terrorists had entered the US through the Biden-Harris administration's open southern border.
In a recent discussion on the Shawn Ryan Show, former CIA targeting officer Sarah Adams warned of a potentially devastating attack planned by Al-Qaeda terrorists on American soil.
Investigations into the Cybertruck bomber and New Orleans terrorist are only just beginning. More details are coming...
* * *
Update (1407ET):
Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia of the FBI Counterterrorism Division told reporters on Thursday afternoon that the New Orleans massacre "was an act of terrorism" (14 dead, dozens injured) and stated, "My goal is to be as forthcoming as possible with you about what we've uncovered so far."
FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia on New Orleans Attack: "This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act...We do not assess at this point that anyone else is involved in this attack except for Shamsud-Din Jabbar." pic.twitter.com/DF2H2YKDO2
Also, the FBI announced a complete reversal from a statement on Wednseday, in which Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan said, "We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible. We are aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates."
Once again, given the FBI's ongoing trust issues, the public remains uncertain about what to believe.
Back to Raia's press conference, he said there had not been a "definitive link" between the Bourbon Street attack and the Tesla Cybertruck explosion at Trump's hotel in Las Vegas.
"As you know, there's also an FBI investigation in Las Vegas. We are following up on all potential leads and not ruling everything out. However, at this point, there is no definitive link between the attack here in New Orleans and the one in Las Vegas. And again, I'll preface as I close, I'll preface everything with what I started with in the beginning, which was this is very early in an investigation like this," Raia told reporters.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Bourbon Street will reopen this afternoon ahead of the Sugar Bowl game this evening.
Meanwhile, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said the Bourbon Street massacre can happen anywhere, and "you have to crush" evil to protect America.
Under the Biden-Harris regime, the Feds facilitated the greatest migrant invasion this nation has ever seen by opening the floodgates on the southern border to millions of illegal aliens, some of which were pre-trained terrorists. In other words, our own government willfully compromised national security through globalist border policies.
Raia also said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the Bourbon Street terrorist, was "100% inspired by ISIS..."
"So what I can tell you right now is that he was 100% inspired by ISIS. And so we're digging — we're digging through more of the social media, more interviews, working with some of our other partners to-to ascertain just how to ascertain a little bit more about that connection," he noted.
However, we must note that Jabbar and Matthew Livelsberger's (Cybertruck suicide bomber) were both US Army veterans.
From a ramming attack on Bourbon Street to a VBIED-like explosion at Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas, occurring on the same day just hours apart, it seems suspicious and raises concerns that there might be more incidents to come.
* * *
Welcome to the second day of 2025.
Federal authorities and investigative teams are probing a potential military connection between a US Army veteran who displayed an Islamic State (IS) flag and was described as "hellbent" on causing maximum damage by steering a Ford F-150 Lightning (EV) into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens, and another US Army veteran who drove an explosives-filled Tesla Cybertruck that detonated almost like a VBIED outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel just hours after the Bourbon Street massacre.
Two law enforcement sources familiar with the New Orleans truck-terror-ramming attack and the Las Vegas incident told NBC News that federal investigative teams are probing a potential military connection between the two individuals involved in both attacks.
New Orleans terror suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, who died in a subsequent close-range firefight with police after the ramming attack, was a US national and Texas resident. He worked in the US Army's human resources and information technology departments between 2006 and 2020, including a deployment to Afghanistan in 2009.
What do you make of the fact that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, was an American citizen born in Texas, who served in the U.S. Army for many years and posted a message on social media that he was inspired by ISIS? pic.twitter.com/IuwIKCIE92
The suspect in the Cybertruck explosion at Trump's hotel in Las Vegas has been identified as "Matthew Livelsberger," according to Newsweek.
🚨 CONFIRMED: The Daily Mail confirms that the Las Vegas Cybertruck terrorist was MATTHEW LIVELSBERGER, and that he previously served at the same military base as the New Orleans terrorist Shamsud Din Jabbar. pic.twitter.com/yD2LphPibl
NEW: The Army Veteran who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has been identified as 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger.
Livelsberger served 19 years in the Army, 18 of them were spent with Special Forces as an Intelligence and… pic.twitter.com/bFcUz2qiqs
Denver-based station ABC7 reported that Livelsberger once served at the same base as Shamsud-Din Jabbar. However, no evidence yet confirms whether they had direct links of any sort.
However, both vehicles used in New Orleans and Las Vegas were rented from San Francisco-based Turo.
Turo wrote in a statement, "We do not believe that either renter had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat, and we are not currently aware of any information that indicates the two incidents are related."
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill told NBC earlier that investigators believe multiple people were involved in the Bourbon Street massacre. She said authorities believe explosive devices were made in an Airbnb rental in the New Orleans metro area.
"We know that these individuals had rented the house were using it for that purpose," Murrill said.
Murrill also said she wanted to postpone the Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans for another day. The football game is currently scheduled for tonight after it was postponed following the attack.
Murrill noted that "the community is safe" because of the increased law enforcement presence in the city. However, the delay of the Sugar Bowl may only suggest that something larger is unfolding.
Here we go.
FBI Hostage Rescue Team callsign aircraft seems headed to New Orleans. The quick reaction team is always on four hour readiness to move. Considering when attack took place, looks like they are moving en masse with all the gear. Going cell hunting... pic.twitter.com/L7Kju4zlNL
In a recent discussion on the Shawn Ryan Show, former CIA targeting officer Sarah Adams warned of a potentially devastating attack planned by Al-Qaeda terrorists on American soil.
Former CIA Officer Warns: 1,000 Al-Qaeda Fighters In US For Next Homeland Attack https://t.co/YXALAWaf8P
Cybertruck catches fire at DeKalb County Tesla dealership
Something interesting has been going on with Tesla Cybertrucks. Tesla has been quietly replacing their battery packs, seemingly a lot of them.
At least since September, Tesla has been swapping out Cybertruck battery packs for new ones when they are brought in for other maintenance issues.
The first report we’re aware of is from September 24. Tesla Cybertruck owner Matt Albers wrote:
“Anybody know what this means? I brought the CT in for the first time since delivery in February (VIN sub 2000) for the standard recalls and a few minor issues and they’ve added this to the list.
“They’ve had the truck for more than 2 weeks and I thought it might only be a day! What does this even mean?”
The Tesla service screenshot said “Cybertruck—High Voltage Battery Replacement (Cell Side Dent Induced Core Collapse).” Say what?? Matt reached out to the Tesla service team and asked “Hi. It looks like there was an additional work item regarding a battery replacement. Can you explain what that means?” They responded as follows: “Hey Matthew, this is a proactive replacement as our engineering team has noticed that some cells may have side dents, which can cause shorting in cells in packs developed around your car’s production date.”
The part you need to add? All COORDINATED by the CIA.The Cia pays a nd supplies ISIS. The FBI needs to get patsy's from somewhere you know...
Objective ? Create fear among the goy to hate the proxy and not recognize the deep state want you dead and gone...
Nothing to see at Ft Bragg, NC, move along now;
* second Trump shooter visited over 100 times
* over 1,000 from there over saw FEMA-Nat Guard Hurricane’s dismal response
* large Drone and UAV division there
*Las Vegas Tesla bomber and NOLA ISIS truck murderer trained together there, coordinating their attacks NYs.