1 dead, 7 injured after Cybertruck explodes outside Trump’s Las Vegas hotel
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - One person is dead and seven others are injured after a car exploded near the Trump International Hotel Wednesday morning.
Sources within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department tell FOX5 that multiple agencies are investigating a possible connection between this incident and the terror attack in New Orleans that killed 15 people.
According to police, the explosion occurred in the valet area of the hotel around 8:40 a.m. after the car pulled in.
Several fireworks and gas canisters were found inside the vehicle, which did not explode. The fire has since been put out by Clark County firefighters, but sources add that the suspect’s body was so badly burned that they cannot identify their race.
UMC Hospital told FOX5 they treated two of the seven injured people from this incident, and both have been released.
During a press conference, LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill shared that the suspect was inside the vehicle and died in the explosion. Sheriff McMahill also shared that they are looking for secondary devices and “taking it slow” in their search.
Guests staying on the property and surrounding hotels have told FOX5 that they could hear a large explosion that was notably louder than last night’s fireworks. FOX5 has also received viewer video showing massive plumes of smoke coming from the entrance of the hotel.
Reporter Victoria Saha spoke with Oscar Terol, visiting from Spain, who says he was in the lobby when the explosion happened.
“The moment we were in the lobby about to turn the rotating doors, the explosion happened, we saw the Cybertruck there, and in a split second, ‘Boom!’ The first one super big,” Terol said. “We both fell. My wife was before me, and lots of explosions afterward.”
The aftermath of the explosion could be seen and heard from guests staying at nearby strip hotels.
"It was not like, boom, it was like, booom, and then it kind of reverberated and echoed, but it was not like one single boom for sure," Lee Odom, staying at the Conrad said.
Guests staying at the hotel said they were not allowed to leave the lobby while the fire was active, but were later moved to a Resorts World Ballroom.
Eric Trump, son of President-elect Donald Trump, expressed his gratitude for local law enforcement’s response in a post on X.
Also on X, Elon Musk added that Tesla’s senior team is investigating the incident, adding, “We’ve never seen anything like this.”
He later confirmed that the car was rented, and the explosion was caused by a very large bomb or firework, unrelated to the vehicle. Sources also tell FOX5 that the Cybertruck contained the explosion, which “would’ve been much worse” in any other vehicle.
Musk would post another update that the Las Vegas Cybertruck and the F-150 in New Orleans were both rented from Turo. FOX5 received the following statement from the car-sharing company:
Governor Joe Lombardo shared on X that he is working to provide local law enforcement with any resources needed in its response. Mayor Shelley Berkley also stated that additional city resources would be made available, including more surveillance, in the coming days.
Police activity has shut down Fashion Show Drive between Las Vegas Boulevard and Sammy Davis Jr. Drive. The public is advised to avoid the area while the investigation is underway.
Around 10:14 p.m., police had the Cybertruck towed away from the front of the hotel.
Late Wednesday night, a large police presence emerged near a Colorado Springs residence, after Las Vegas police confirmed that the car used in the explosion was rented in Colorado. Thursday morning, Denver FBI agents confirmed that the investigation was related to the explosion on the Strip.
This is a developing story, check back later for updates.
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