Cybertruck explosion suspect used AI to plan attack, police say
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Las Vegas police have shared additional documents including new video that show the moments leading to the Cybertruck explosion on New Year’s Day.
The investigation has reached its second week. It happened in the valet area of the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas.
The driver died and the explosion injured multiple others. Police identified the suspect as Matthew Livelsberger.
FOX5 learned he was an active-duty soldier from Colorado Springs.
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New video shows Livelsberger pouring about 20 gallons of fuel in the back of the Cybertruck before heading to his next location. Police point out that the fuel was leaking from the vehicle as he drove off.
Last week, police shared two full letters found in one of two phones found in with Livelsberger.
The soldier called for America to “wake up” and that the country was “terminally ill and headed toward collapse.”
Authorities shared in an update a six page manifesto was discovered where his grievances were detailed along with the evolution of his planning leading up to the day. Livelsberger addressed his military experience replaying in his head, he described feeling like a shell of a human.
“Just continuing on that manifesto, a few other excerpts for now is he discusses the concerns about the withdrawal from Afghanistan and losing his teammates, which again builds upon that potential PTSD,” LVMPD Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said.
In that manifesto, Livelsberger said he was targeting the Grand Canyon, however authorities do not know what made him change his mind and come to Las Vegas to carry out the explosion.
Livelsberger made several searches on ChatGPT to plan the explosion.
On Dec. 27 Livelsberger searched “What is the legal limit to buy Tannerite in Colorado,” “Will a 50 caliber desert eagle pistol set it off,” and “Are fireworks legal in Arizona,”.
Given how commonly AI is being used, this is something LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill was worried about.
“We knew that AI was going to change the game at some point or another in really all of our lives, and certainly I think this is the first incident that I’m aware of on U.S. soil where ChatGPT is utilized to help an individual build a particular device,” McMahill said.
FOX5 contacted OpenAI for comment, they responded with this statement.
Police confirmed Livelsberger died by suicide.
ATF officials say they are still working to rule out all possible scenarios regarding how the initial flame was ignited.
“This is an explosion and not a detonation at this time there has been no purchase records or physical evidence recovered from the scene that indicate any type of remote control, remote detonation or sophisticated timed initiation system was used,” said Kenny Cooper, ATF San Francisco Field division.
One theory includes the gun initiating the explosives and fireworks in the vehicle.
“The driver that was found in that vehicle and the self-inflicted gunshot wound that is consistent from our belief that muzzle flash alone could initiate this fuel air explosion,” said Cooper.
Officials also believe an electrical short in the ignition of the vehicle could have ignited the flammable material.
“This investigation is far from over” said LVMPD.
Police say there are working to review another phone and a laptop found in the Cybertruck.
The explosion would happen only hours after another driver, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot to death by police.
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