A decorated US Army soldier who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas said it was not a terrorist attack but a way for him to “cleanse" his mind while serving as a “wake-up call" for Americans against “feckless leadership".
Matthew Livelsberger, 37, a member of the elite Green Berets, had shot himself in the mouth in the rented vehicle filled with fuel containers and fireworks, before detonating the bomb in the car. Las Vegas police said he had been identified as the “driver" of the vehicle, and that the coroner had ruled he had died by suicide.
Livelsberger left behind two suicide notes in a charred cellphone recovered from the rented Tesla vehicle that suggested his motive, reported the New York Post citing police. “This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake-up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence," he wrote in a notes app.
“Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I’ve lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took," he said. In another letter, Livelsberger urged his fellow servicemen, veterans and all Americans to “WAKE UP".
“We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves. We are the United States of America, the best country for people ever to exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed toward collapse," he wrote.
Meanwhile, investigating federal officials said Livelsberger was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other personal issues that contributed to his suicide bombing.
“Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues," FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans said.
This incident took place only hours after a man drove a truck into a crowd of New Year’s Day celebrants in New Orleans, causing the deaths of 15 people. However, officials have ruled out any connection between the two cases, calling the Tesla incident “isolated".
Livelsberger’s body was burned beyond recognition in the blast and was identified from his passport and an Army ID found inside the vehicle. In addition to the notes on his phone, police also obtained new surveillance footage from charging stations where Livelsberger made stops as he headed to Sin City, where he may 9have picked fireworks used in the explosion.
Livelsberger was a “Rambo-type patriot" who loved the United States and President-elect Donald Trump. “It’s one of the reasons he was in Special Forces for so many years. It wasn’t just one tour of duty," said Dean Livelsberger.
Livelsberger had been in the Army for at least 19 years, joining the Green Berets in 2006. The deceased Green Beret was last stationed at Camp Panzer Kaserne, just southwest of Stuttgart, Germany, where he worked as an Army remote and autonomous systems manager.
An army spokesperson said Livelsberger was “on approved leave at the time of his death," and had been awarded multiple Bronze Star Medals, including one for valour. Authorities said he rented the vehicle in Colorado on December 28 and drove it to Las Vegas on January 1.
The Army officer reportedly broke up with their wife six days before killing himself. The two have a daughter, and Livelsberger’s wife allegedly told him that she knew he had been cheating on her, sources told the New York Post. Livelsberger left his Colorado Springs home the day after Christmas following an argument with his wife over apparent infidelity.
