The man who rented the Tesla Cybertruck that blew up outside President-elect Donald Trump's hotel in Las Vegas is an active-duty U.S. Special Forces soldier, officials have confirmed.
Las Vegas police have identified 37-year-old Matthew Allen Livelsberger of Colorado as the renter of the vehicle that drove the Cybertruck from Colorado to Las Vegas.
They said they were pretty sure he was the same person found dead in the vehicle after the explosion, but were waiting for DNA evidence to confirm that.
The body was burned beyond recognition and was found with a gunshot wound to the head that was believed to be self-inflicted, according to Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill.
The blast injured seven people after the vehicle, full of fuel canisters and fireworks, exploded. Authorities said all injuries were minor.
Authorities said they are still investigating the motive.
“I'm comfortable calling it a suicide bombing that happened right after,” Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Livelsberger rented a Cybertruck on December 28 in Denver, Colorado. He has decades of experience with the US military, having served in the Army and National Guard.
He entered the active duty military in December 2012, serving as a special operations soldier.
The US military said he was on approved leave at the time of his death.
Livelsberger's father spoke to BBC news partner CBS and said his son was currently serving in Germany and was on leave to visit Colorado and see his wife and eight-month-old daughter.
Livelsberger's father said he last spoke to his son on Christmas Day and that everything seemed normal.