A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside of President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas, killing one person and injuring seven others.
Authorities are investigating the explosion as a possible terrorist act, according to a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department official, but a motive has yet to be determined. According to the official, the Cybertruck was carrying fireworks-style mortars, as well as what appeared to be gasoline and camp fuel canisters.
The explosion happened around 8:40 a.m. Wednesday in the valet area outside the lobby of the Trump International Hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard and Sammy Davis Jr. Drive.
At a news conference, Las Vegas County Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that one person died inside the vehicle and that efforts were underway to remove the body.
“There is one deceased individual in the Cybertruck, and I don’t know whether it’s a male or female,” she said.
“At this time, we are investigating a number of leads, and I am not ready to share any of that information with you just yet. “I can tell you that seven people are currently injured as a result of the explosion,” he said.
Two of the injured were taken to the University Medical Center Southern Nevada for treatment. McMahill stated that all of the injuries were minor, and there appears to be no further threat.
The fire was extinguished by the Clark County Fire Department. The cause was not immediately determined, but McMahill stated during the press conference that officials are “very well aware” of the New Orleans attack, in which a man intentionally drove a truck into a crowd of people celebrating New Year’s Eve just hours before, killing ten people.
He stated that officials are “taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe” and are “looking for secondary devices.”
“Obviously a Cybertruck, the Trump hotel, there are lots of questions we have to answer,” McMahill said, highlighting the president-elect’s close relationship with Tesla founder Elon Musk.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk used the opportunity to praise Tesla’s Cybertruck for being so strong that it helped contain the blast. “The terrorists chose the wrong vehicle for their attack. “Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed it upwards,” he wrote in a post on X.
The FBI is also involved in the investigation.
“I know you have a lot of questions,” said Jeremy Schwartz, the acting FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Las Vegas office, during the news conference. “We don’t have a lot of answers.”
A video posted on social media showed various angles of the massive explosion, which appeared to include fireworks. Guests at the hotel and nearby properties told FOX5 that they heard several “booms” that were louder than the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
“It was shaking the glass, and it was so loud,” one witness who was staying at Resorts World on the Las Vegas Strip told KLAS.
“I looked out and see smoke and me and my wife booked it out of there.”
McMahill stated that the hotel was evacuated and guests were relocated to Resorts World while police investigated.
Musk stated on X that the “entire Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now.” We will share more information as soon as we learn it. “We’ve never seen anything like it.”
Eric Trump, the President-elect’s son and the Trump Organization’s executive vice president, also commented on the explosion.
He praised the fire department and local law enforcement for their quick response and professionalism.
The 64-story hotel is located just off the famous Las Vegas Strip, across the street from the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping mall. It released a statement about X.
“Earlier today, an electric vehicle caught fire in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas. Our top priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our guests and staff. We are grateful to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their prompt response.
The White House stated that President Biden has directed his team to provide any necessary federal assistance.