A Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, killing one person and injuring seven others.
Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning, killing one person and injuring seven. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the incident as a possible terrorist act.
The explosion occurred when a driver parked his vehicle in the Trump Hotel’s valet parking area. The car exploded, killing the driver at the scene and causing minor injuries to seven people nearby. The fire was extinguished shortly after the explosion, but police are still cordoning off the area and preventing the public from accessing it.
The investigation team is currently focusing on determining the cause of the explosion. Whether a vehicle defect or an external factor caused the explosion is unknown. According to ABC News, the Cybertruck that exploded reportedly carried large firecracker-type mortars. Police are trying to determine whether the driver intentionally set off the explosion and what the motive was.
The Cybertruck that exploded was rented through the car-sharing platform Turo. The same platform was also used in the deadly attack in New Orleans, so its connection to this explosion is being investigated.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a statement, “The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now,” and “We’ve never seen anything like this.” Musk stated on X that the explosion was triggered by either a large firework or a bomb located in the vehicle’s cargo area, clarifying that it was not related to the car itself. It remains unclear whether his statement has been verified.
Threats related to the Trump Hotel have been frequent in the past, and the election of US President-elect Donald Trump has heightened the security threat. After the explosion, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, said, “safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority,” and thanked authorities for suppressing the fire and investigating.
The White House said President Biden had been briefed on the incident and that the federal government stands ready to assist if needed.
Residents of Las Vegas are now urged to avoid the incident scene. Although security officials say the incident does not appear to pose any additional threats, they are cautious, saying, “There may be things we don’t know.”
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