One person died with seven allegedly injured when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on Wednesday morning, according to officials.
The Las Vegas Police Department is investigating the explosion which occurred near S. Sammy Davis Jr. Drive and Fashion Drive. Officials are also looking at the incident as a potential terrorist attack.
The Tesla Cybertruck was filled with fuel canisters and firework mortars exploded outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The driver was killed and seven people were injured, police said without naming any of the individuals involved. Officials said all injuries were minor.
The truck was rented in Colorado and arrived in the city on Wednesday morning, less than two hours before the detonation, police said. Parked in front of the hotel near a glass entrance, the vehicle started to smoke, then exploded.
In an evening address, President Joe Biden said the White House was tracking the incident and law enforcement was investigating “whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans”, which left 15 dead early on New Year’s Day.
In an afternoon press conference, Sheriff Kevin McMahill showed dramatic footage of the explosion and photos of the aftermath, including several fuel canisters along with large fireworks in the truck bed.
Footage showed the truck parked directly in front of the entrance of the hotel. The truck sits idle for several seconds before exploding – bursts of multi-coloured fireworks shooting in multiple directions.
Another video showed investigators using a black fire-retardant tarp to put out the blaze and the charred remains of the truck bed. An array of gas and fuel canisters were left behind along with the remnants of more than a dozen firework mortars.
The fire occurred around 08:40 PT (15:40 GMT), just hours after a man drove a truck with an Islamic State (IS) group flag into the crowd in New Orleans. At least 15 people died and dozens were injured.
Mr McMahill of the Las Vegas Police Department said the authorities were examining whether the incident could be connected to the one in New Orleans, where improvised explosive devices were found near the scene.
He said they were also investigating whether it might be linked to President-Elect Donald Trump, who owns the hotel, or Elon Musk, who owns Tesla.
“Obviously, a Cybertruck, the Trump Hotel, there’s lots of questions that we have to answer as we move forward,” he said.
The FBI also said the agency was looking into whether the incident might be an act of terrorism, but the authorities said they currently had not confirmed the identity of the driver, who died in the vehicle. Authorities also said thus far, they had found no evidence that this incident was related to IS.
“I know everybody’s interested in that word, and trying to see if we can say, ‘Hey, this is a terrorist attack.’ That is our goal, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” FBI special agent in charge Jeremy Schwartz told reporters at a news conference.
The sheriff noted that both vehicles appeared to be rented from Turo, an app-based car rental company.
A Turo spokesperson said in a statement that the company was working with authorities in Las Vegas and New Orleans to help with the investigation. The spokesperson noted both renters appeared to not have a criminal background that would have “identified them as a security threat”.
“We are heartbroken by the violence perpetrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and our prayers are with the victims and families,” the statement reads.
The authorities say they do have the name of the person who rented the vehicle but have not officially confirmed it was the person driving the vehicle.
“As you can imagine, with an explosion here on an iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe,” he said during a news conference.
Mr McMahill said there was no longer a threat to the Las Vegas community.
