Military
Las Vegas Cybertruck bomber’s motive: What was Matthew Livelsberger’s reason for the Jan. 1 explosion?
On New Year’s Day, Matthew Livelsberger shot himself and exploded a Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas. Authorities are trying to piece together his motives.
Matthew Livelsberger, a decorated U.S. Army Green Beret, shot himself to death on New Year’s Day and initiated a Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. The blast injured seven people outside the hotel.
Livelsberger was an active-duty Special Forces operations master sergeant, and his position gave rise to many questions regarding his possible motive for the bombing.
READ ALSO: The driver of the Cybertuck that exploded in Las Vegas
Livelsberger writes insights on iPhone Notes app
Local authorities have investigated his electronic gadgets and found two notes on his iPhone that describe his personal and professional struggles as well as his political grievances.
The first note said, “Fellow Servicemembers, Veterans, and all Americans, TIME TO WAKE UP! We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves.”
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In the second note, he wrote, “This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?
“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.”
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department stressed that these lines are just a part of notes that cover a lot of topics. They intend to release the documents so people can better understand Livelsberger’s state of mind.
Livelsberger sent an email outlining military grievances
The bomber reportedly sent an email to retired intelligence officer Samuel Shoemate on New Year’s Eve, which also talked about a variety of subjects including grievances related to his service and U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan.
Although neither the notes nor the email explicitly explained his actions, they do give indications that Livelsberger was going through a mental health crisis when he committed the bombing.
His former girlfriend, Alicia Arritt, told CBS News that none of the texts they exchanged right before the bombing gave any sign that he was about to commit suicide or planning to explode the rented Tesla Cybertruck. Livelsberger had sent her photos of the vehicle, saying “I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It’s the s***.”
According to Arritt, he had suffered a traumatic brain injury while on active duty in the Middle East, and had told her it changed his behavior, per CBS. Livelsberger’s ex-girlfriend said didn’t seek treatment for his condition, because “he felt it would ruin his career if he sought help.”
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