Was Matthew Alan Livelsberger’s demonstration in front of Donald Trump’s Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day a deliberate act against him?
According to Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas division, it is unlikely that Livelsberger’s actions were specifically aimed at the president-elect.
Investigative Findings
“Livelsberger also held no animosity toward President-elect Donald Trump,” Evans said of the former soldier who detonated himself in a Tesla Cybertruck at the entrance of the Republican’s establishment.
Evans mentioned that the FBI’s investigation, in consultation with the Army, indicated that Livelsberger likely suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. He also suggested that there may have been underlying “family issues or personal grievances” contributing to his actions.
Potential Connections
Despite the Tesla Cybertruck explosion and the tragic incident in New Orleans that claimed 14 lives on Bourbon Street occurring on the same day, Evans stated that no definitive link has been established between the two events. The only commonality discovered so far is that both suspects rented vehicles from the same company.
Though not delving deeply into Livelsberger’s motives, Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department mentioned uncovering messages on the former soldier’s phone that appeared to be relevant to the incident.
In one communication, Livelsberger urged his “fellow service members, veterans, and all Americans” to awaken to the “ineffectual” government that “serves only its own interests.”
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Livelsberger’s other writings elaborated on his beliefs.
“We are the United States of America, the greatest nation … ever to exist, but currently, we are in a state of decline and heading towards collapse,” he allegedly wrote. “This wasn’t an act of terrorism. It was a wakeup call. Americans only respond to spectacles and violence. What better way to convey my message than with a display involving fireworks and explosives… I need to free my mind from the friends I’ve lost and absolve myself of the lives I’ve taken.”
Livelsberger’s actions shocked those who knew him, as a fellow soldier described him as “non-violent.”
Another acquaintance recalled Livelsberger’s frequent political posts online, noting that while they were often “patriotic” and pro-military, they sometimes reflected political disagreements.
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