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More details have emerged about the active duty United States Army serviceman responsible for the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1, as it has been revealed he was a "Rambo-type" patriot who "loved" Donald Trump.
Knewz.com has learned that according to his family, Matthew Livelsberger's patriotic nature is what drove him to serve in the military.
The 37-year-old Green Beret servicemember drove the Tesla Cybertruck up and down Las Vegas Boulevard for about an hour before parking it in front of the entrance to the Trump International Hotel on the morning of January 1.
Surveillance footage shared by the police showed that the explosion occurred outside the glass entrance of the Trump International Hotel around 9 a.m. (local time).
Based on the available information, it was reported that the Tesla Cybertruck was rented from Colorado and it arrived in Las Vegas at around 7:30 a.m. (local time).
Police have shared footage from the aftermath of the explosion, showing "scorched gasoline containers and firework mortars" found amidst the burnt wreckage of the Cybertruck.
Investigators have noted that, due to the sturdy build of the Cybertruck, most of the impact of the explosion was driven upward, and as a result, the glass entrance to the hotel seems to be largely unharmed.
"The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet because it had most of the blast. Up through the truck and out... You’ll see that the front glass doors at the Trump hotel were not even broken by that blast which they were parked directly in front of," noted Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Sheriff McMahill further stated that there was a gunshot wound on Livelsberger’s head, an injury he sustained "prior to the detonation of the vehicle." He added that a handgun was found near the suspect's feet, leading investigators to believe the gunshot was self-inflicted.
Investigators also found his military ID and passport, along with a Desert Eagle .50 caliber semi-automatic pistol and an SLR Rifleworks B30 in the wreckage of the vehicle. According to reports, both weapons were burnt “almost beyond recognition.”
He also pointed out that the incident bears "concerning" implications since the explosion occurred outside a hotel belonging to incoming President Trump, and was carried out from a Tesla vehicle, belonging to the company founded by the President-elect's most notable ally.
"It’s a Tesla truck, and we know that Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump, and it’s the Trump tower... So, there’s obviously things to be concerned about there, and that’s something we continue to look at," McMahill said in his statement.
However, Matthew Livelsberger's paternal uncle, Dean Livelsberger, said in a statement to the media that his nephew "loved Trump."
"He loved Trump, and he was always a very, very patriotic soldier, a patriotic American. It’s one of the reasons he was in Special Forces for so many years. It wasn’t just one tour of duty," Dean told reporters.
Describing his nephew's patriotism, he said that Matthew was “like a Rambo-type, for lack of a better word,” adding that the Las Vegas explosion suspect "used to have all patriotic stuff on Facebook, he was 100 percent loving the country."
It has been reported that Matthew served in the U.S. Army for 19 years, 18 of which were in the Special Forces. Reports have mentioned that he was deployed twice in Afghanistan, and was also stationed in Tajikistan, Georgia, Congo, and Ukraine.
His most recent deployment was in Germany, although law enforcement authorities have said he was on leave in Colorado Springs when he rented the Cybertruck and drove to Las Vegas.
Dean further stated that although he had heard of the explosion in Las Vegas, he was not aware of his nephew's involvement until reporters contacted him. In fact, he was not aware that the incident was deliberate at all, and assumed that the explosion was caused by “one of those big lithium batteries that short-circuited or something.”
However, the nature of the explosives used in the incident has led him to question whether it was indeed Matthew's handiwork, since, according to him, his nephew was capable of fashioning a more sophisticated bomb.
According to Dean, Matthew “could have fashioned a bomb that would have obliterated half of that hotel if he seriously wanted to hurt others.”
"Matt was a very skilled warrior, and he would be able to make — if it was him, and if he did this — he would’ve been able to make a more sophisticated explosive than using propane tanks and camping fuel. He was what you might call a ‘supersoldier,’" he told reporters.
"If you ever read about the things he was awarded, and the experience he had, some of it doesn’t make sense, when he had the skills and ability to make something more, let’s say, ‘efficient.’ His skills were enormous from what he had been taught in the military," Dean added.
It has been pointed out that Matthew was also possibly an avid supporter of Ukraine, as one of his pictures showed him wearing a t-shirt with the phrase “glory to Ukraine, glory to heroes” written in Ukrainian.
He also reportedly recommended a former military colleague for a 30-day contractual role in Ukraine as a "tactical combat casualty care instructor" on LinkedIn.
He commented on the LinkedIn job posting, “I’ve got a top 18D [Special Forces medical sergeant] recently ETSd who is looking for just this opportunity, sent him your way.”
Law enforcement officials are still unclear about the motivation behind blowing up the Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel and are looking into whether the "attack" was ideologically driven.
As of now, they are investigating the incident as a possible "act of terrorism."