Sat Jan 04 06:48:21 UTC 2025: ## Army Green Beret’s Suicide-Explosion Stunt Rocks Las Vegas

**Las Vegas, Nevada –** A highly decorated Army Green Beret, Matthew Livelsberger, 37, died in a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a Tesla Cybertruck which subsequently exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Investigators revealed Friday that Livelsberger left notes indicating the incident was a planned “wake-up call” to address what he perceived as the country’s societal ills.

The explosion, while causing minor injuries to seven bystanders and minimal property damage, prompted a wide-ranging investigation. Livelsberger’s notes detailed political grievances, societal problems, and international conflicts, expressing his belief that the U.S. was on the brink of collapse. He also stated in his notes a belief that the stunt was necessary to gain public attention, as Americans only react to spectacle and violence.

While the notes covered a range of issues, investigators stated Livelsberger harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, even suggesting the country should “rally around” him and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Neither Trump nor Musk were present at the time of the incident.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans described the event as a tragic suicide stemming from Livelsberger’s struggles with PTSD and other unspecified issues. Tesla engineers assisted investigators by providing data from the Cybertruck, tracking Livelsberger’s journey from Colorado to Las Vegas. The investigation is ongoing, examining the method by which Livelsberger simultaneously shot himself and ignited the explosives within the vehicle.

Livelsberger, a veteran of multiple deployments to Afghanistan and service in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Congo, had received numerous military honors, including five Bronze Stars. He was on approved leave from his recent overseas assignment in Germany at the time of his death. His former girlfriend described his struggles with pain and exhaustion, possibly related to traumatic brain injury, in the months leading up to his death.

The incident comes hours after a separate incident in New Orleans, where a truck attack killed at least 14 and is being investigated as a terrorist act. Authorities emphasized that Livelsberger acted alone, and the Las Vegas incident is not being treated as an act of terrorism.

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