Tesla Cybertruck explodes outside Trump's Vegas hotel in 'terror attack'

1 January 2025, 20:51 | Updated: 2 January 2025, 00:42

One person has died and seven more were injured after a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel.

The person inside the vehicle died, with emergency services still working to get the body out, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark County Fire Department said.

Another seven people nearby received minor injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.

It came just hours after a terror attack in New Orleans, which saw at least 15 killed and 35 injured.

A truck ploughed into crowds in the French Quarter, before the driver got out and opened fire.

The suspect was identified as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, who rented the vehicle from the same place as the Cybertruck used in Vegas.

A county spokeswoman said in a statement that the fire in the valet area of the Trump International Hotel was reported at 8.40am local time. No cause was given.

The explosion is now being investigated as a possible terrorist attack, US media reported.

Elon Musk confirmed in a post on X that the explosion was caused by "very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself".

Read more: Suspect in deadly New Orleans terror attack identified as FBI confirms ISIS flag found in truck used to slam into crowd

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"I know you have a lot of questions," Jeremy Schwartz, acting FBI special agent in charge for the Las Vegas office, said.

"We don't have a lot of answers."

Musk said earlier on Wednesday: "The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now.

"Will post more information as soon as we learn anything.

"We’ve never seen anything like this."

Eric Trump, a son of the president-elect and executive vice president of the Trump Organisation, praised the fire department and local law enforcement "for their swift response and professionalism".

The 64-storey hotel is just off the famed Las Vegas Strip and across the street from the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping centre.