Explosive-laden Cybertruck detonates outside Trump hotel in Vegas, linked to New Orleans terror incident – Police share dramatic photos

A collection of images from the Cybertruck explosion at Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has been shared by the police. The pictures depict a cache of explosives found inside the vehicle.

The individual driving the Tesla Cybertruck, affiliated with Elon Musk, tragically lost their life in the blast. Additionally, seven bystanders sustained injuries as a result of the incident.

Hours earlier in New Orleans, Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, drove an electric vehicle into crowds, killing 15 pedestrians and injuring dozens more.

Law enforcement officials disclosed that both cars involved in the attacks were rented via Turo. Interestingly, both vehicles were electric, prompting speculation about a potential connection between the two incidents.

Police revealed on Wednesday afternoon that they are currently investigating potential links and have not ruled anything out yet. 

‘Do I think it’s a coincidence? I don’t know,’ Sheriff Kevin McMahill said. ‘We’re absolutely looking into any connections to New Orleans.’

In a bombshell press conference, officers investigating the incident revealed the Cybertruck was hired from Turo in Colorado and driven across the border into Nevada at 7.30am Wednesday.

The explosion took place just an hour later. 

Officers shared a series of photographs taken from inside the car, revealing fireworks, gas tanks and camping fuel were in the bed of the truck.

They are still exploring how the explosives were detonated, but sources with knowledge of the investigation have expressed that it was likely controlled by the driver.

The driver’s remains are ‘still in the truck as we speak today,’ McMahill said, adding that while they know the name of the person responsible for renting the truck, they’re not yet in a position to reveal those details to the public.

Officers have also considered the driver may have purposefully chosen to use a car owned by Musk to send a message, given Musk’s newfound friendship with President-elect Donald Trump.

‘It’s a Tesla truck, we know Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump and it’s the Trump hotel, so there’s obviously something to look at,’ he said.

But the driver’s decision to send a message using the Cybertruck may have actually been a small silver lining in the tragedy. Authorities echoed a comment made earlier today by Musk that the structure of the Cybertruck contained the explosives.

‘The fact this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage,’ McMahill said.

‘It made most of the damage go up rather than out. The front glass doors at the Trump Hotel were not even broken by that blast.’

Wednesday’s Cybertruck explosion is ‘likely an act of terrorism’, Musk said earlier, occuring just hours after the New Orleans tragedy which left 15 people dead. 

The $80,000 car was seen in a fiery blaze outside the front revolving doors of the hotel, killing one and injuring seven at around 8.30am.

By Wednesday afternoon, Musk revealed the explosion was caused by ‘a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck’ or ‘very large fireworks.’

He said the explosion was not caused by or related to the vehicle itself, and it’s understood the unnamed driver had rented the truck using Turo.

‘Law enforcement currently believes it was most likely intentional,’ he added. 

‘Both this Cybertruck and the F-150 suicide bomb in New Orleans were rented from Turo. Perhaps they are linked in some way.’ 

An insider told the network authorities have obtained CCTV footage which shows the Cybertruck passed by the hotel an hour earlier, and circled back to park seconds before the explosion.

Musk said ‘Tesla vehicles transmit their state of health continuously,’ meaning his team were able to check whether anything was wrong with the car’s mechanics prior to the explosion.

Sheriff Kevin McMahill had earlier revealed police are treating the explosion as an act of terror.

Hours earlier in New Orleans, Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, drove an electric vehicle into crowds, killing 15 pedestrians and injuring dozens more.

He said: ‘With the event that occurred [in New Orleans], and the victims there, and the additional IEDs, so as you can imagine, with an explosion here on our iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep the community safe.’ 

The FBI is also investigating the Vegas event – while Musk confirmed that his company is looking into the fatal ordeal. 

Musk, who has become a close friend to the incoming president, wrote: ‘The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. We’ve never seen anything like this.

‘Cybertruck is the worst possible choice for a car bomb, as its stainless steel armor will contain the blast better than any other commercial vehicle.’ 

The official cause of the explosion and fire is currently unknown, but an unidentified official briefed on the incident told ABC News it had a load of fireworks-style mortars inside the vehicle. 

Police are working to determine if the driver, who died, intentionally set off the explosives.

Surveillance footage showed the truck sitting outside the front entrance. Seconds later, the entire car blew up, with its roof going up in flames first.

Debris smoked as it pinged off the pavement and sparks which looked like fireworks could be seen lighting up the black cloud of smoke emitting from the vehicle. 

After the explosion, large orange flames were seen crawling out the windows of the Cybertruck before several more explosive sounds rung out. 

Fire alarms were heard going off in the ritzy building, where penthouse suites can cost up to $2,600 a night. It is unclear if hotel guests were evacuated. 

The explosion left a large cloud of smoke billowing from the Trump Hotel on Fashion Show Drive, alarming local and tourists. 

Tesla’s Cybertrucks are the third best-selling EV in the US – with around 27,185 sold as of October 2024. 

The oddly shaped vehicles have been controversial since their unveiling in 2019 – yet the company continues to brag about large waitlists for the cars.

The ordeal in Las Vegas came just hours after a deranged US veteran rammed his rented Ford truck into revelers celebrating the New Year in New Orleans. 

The Texan-born terrorist had an ISIS flag draped on the back of the vehicle when he drove into the crowds, killing at least 15. 

The driver got out and started firing a weapon. Investigators later added that they found what appeared to be improvised explosives at the crash site that did not detonate. 

The FBI said they do not believe the terrorist acted alone, and were initially investigating surveillance footage which captured three men and a woman placing one of multiple improvised explosive devices in the area. 

One person staying at the Trump hotel today, Stephen Felando, heard the ‘massive explosion’ as it happened. 

‘Something major just exploded here,’ he said in an X video. ‘Something just went off in the valet section…I don’t know what just did, but something just blew.’ 

Felando said the windows ‘shimmed’ and shook. 

DailyMail.com attempted to contact the Las Vegas Police Department. 

Eric Trump made a statement on social media following the horrific explosion, writing: ‘The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. 

‘We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism.’