Crime
Las Vegas Cybertruck bombing suspect Matthew Livelsberger spotted at a Tesla charging station
Las Vegas, NV – Newly released video footage and messages have shed light on the suspect behind the New Year’s Day Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
Authorities have identified the bomber as Matthew Livelsberger, an active-duty soldier from Colorado Springs, whose motivations, captured in chilling messages, reflect a disturbing narrative.
Surveillance footage shows Livelsberger stopping at a Tesla charging station en route to Las Vegas. Investigators tracked his movements from Colorado, through New Mexico, Arizona, and finally Nevada, utilizing data from Tesla charging stations after he rented the Cybertruck through Turo in Denver on December 28.
Messages Left by Livelsberger
Authorities released excerpts of messages left by Livelsberger, which appear to outline his rationale for the attack:
- “Fellow Servicemembers, Veterans, and all Americans, TIME TO WAKE UP!”
- “We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves.”
- “This was not a terrorist attack; it was a wake-up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?”
- “Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I’ve lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.”
The explosion occurred in the valet area of the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on the morning of New Year’s Day. The blast killed Livelsberger, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and injured several others. According to the Clark County coroner, Livelsberger’s body was “burnt beyond recognition,” complicating initial identification efforts.
Forensic investigators uncovered Livelsberger’s military IDs, passport, and multiple firearms within the remains of the vehicle.
The bombing followed closely on the heels of a New Orleans truck attack, where 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed a truck into a crowd in the French Quarter, killing at least 15 people.
These back-to-back incidents prompted heightened security across Las Vegas, with LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill announcing increased patrols along the Las Vegas Strip and downtown areas.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) will hold a press briefing at 1 p.m. on Friday at police headquarters. Sheriff McMahill is expected to provide updates on the investigation.
This tragic and harrowing incident has reignited discussions about public safety, extremism, and the mental health challenges faced by veterans. The investigation is ongoing.
Crime
First Victim of Silver Rail Elementary School Shooting Identified as 5-Year-Old Rhoam Summer
BEND, Ore. — Rhoam Summer, 5, has been identified as the first reported victim of the deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, where preliminary reports indicate that four victims, including three children and one adult, were killed. The 16-year-old suspect also died, bringing the reported death toll to five.
The shooting prompted a major law enforcement and emergency response Thursday afternoon, October 15, 2026, after Bend police issued an active-shooter alert at approximately 1:17 p.m. Authorities described a large police presence at the school and urged the public to avoid the area.
Information provided in preliminary reports indicated that the children killed were ages 5, 8 and 11. One teacher was also reported dead. Rhoam Summer, 5, was identified as the first victim publicly named in connection with the tragedy.
Authorities had not yet released the names of the other reported victims in the information available for this report.
According to preliminary information attributed to federal law enforcement, four victims died as a result of the shooting: three children and one adult. The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old Bend resident, was also reported dead.
This brings the reported total to five deaths, including the suspect.
Reports indicated that two additional people were transported for medical treatment in critical condition. They were described as a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher.
The reported casualties have not all been independently confirmed through a complete official victim list. Further information from law enforcement and medical authorities is needed to establish the final number of injured people and the conditions of those receiving treatment.
Preliminary reports identified the suspected shooter as a 16-year-old resident of Bend. The teenager was reportedly armed with a shotgun.
Scanner traffic and early reports indicated that a bystander, described as a Good Samaritan and possibly the father of a student, shot and killed the suspect. Reports also described the bystander as someone legally carrying a concealed firearm.
However, the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death, including the identity and role of the bystander, require confirmation from law enforcement. These details should not be considered established facts until officials release an authoritative account.
Authorities had reported that the suspect was deceased, but further verified information about the sequence of events was not available in the preliminary reports summarized here.
Bend police issued an alert at approximately 1:17 p.m. Thursday reporting an active shooter at Silver Rail Elementary School in southeast Bend.
The initial alert provided limited information but warned residents of a large police presence and urged them to stay away from the area. Police, fire crews and emergency medical personnel responded to the school.
The incident triggered urgent safety measures as authorities worked to secure the campus, assess casualties and coordinate the emergency response.
Approximately 10 minutes after the initial alert, police announced that a reunification site had been established at Journey Church, located at 61303 S Highway 97, near Goodwill and Dairy Queen.
Families of students were instructed to go to the designated location to reunite with their children.
Parents also received alerts indicating that nearby schools, including Caldera High School and Jewell Elementary, had been placed under lockdown as a precaution while law enforcement responded to the shooting.
The shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School has left families and the Bend community facing a devastating loss. The reported deaths of three children and one adult, along with the death of the teenage suspect, have made the incident one of the most serious school emergencies reported in the area.
Investigators are expected to establish the sequence of events, confirm the identities of the victims, determine how the shooting unfolded and clarify the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death.
