Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger, the soldier who blew up the Tesla Cybertruck on New Year's Day in front of the entrance to the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas supposedly suffered from PTSD as well as other issues when he committed suicide. He had been a Green Beret in the U.S. Army.
Law enforcement officials of the Las Vegas PD, FBI, and ATF provided updates on Friday afternoon from their investigation into the event at a press conference. They said that they could not find a connection between that incident and the jihad terrorist attack that happened several hours prior in New Orleans in which an Islamic terrorist drove a vehicle into a crowd of holiday celebrants killing at least 14 and injuring 35.
Both Livelsberger's truck and the jihadi's truck were rented through the same app, Turo, and both were electric.
Police released the following excerpts from writings they discovered on one of his cellphones that they recovered from inside the vehicle:
“Investigative steps have discovered, and information from the Army indicates, that he likely suffered from PTSD, and we are also aware that there were potential other family issues or personal grievances in his own life that may have been contributing factors,” Evans said.
He said that Livelsberger “considered, planned, and thoughtfully prepared for this act alone,” adding that the incident was “a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues.”
“So in terms of the so-called manifesto that’s circling or circulating online, we have strong evidence to suggest that it was the subject [Livelsberger] that wrote it, but we haven’t conclusively proven that,” he said. “And that evidence relates to other evidence that we’re finding, that we’re able to compare that lead us to believe it was in fact him who sent it.”
Livelsberger's identity was confirmed through DNA matching and contents in his wallet that were unburned by what has been.
LVMPD Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said that Livelsberger documented his activities during the 10 days prior to the explosion in an app on his cellphone, including where he traveled, weapons he bought, camping gear he bought, and video from the electric charging station where he stopped to top off the battery. They said that at the moment, there did not appear to be any significant meaning behind his decision to commit the act in a Tesla Cybertruck.
Koren said that the incident was being viewed as a suicide via a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), although the bullet he fired through his brain seconds before the explosion may have been more responsible.
Koren said that the incident was being viewed as a suicide via a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), although the bullet he fired through his brain seconds before the explosion may have been more responsible.
Police released the following excerpts from writings they discovered on one of his cellphones that they recovered from inside the vehicle:
“Fellow Servicemembers, (Sic) 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.
“We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed toward collapse.”
He probably should have waited until after President-elect Donald Trump took office once again this month.
Koren suggested that more excerpts from his writings could be released in the future.
“He does offer additional information that is varying on the spectrum in terms of political grievances, issues about the conflicts elsewhere, not here, domestic issues, societal issues, a variety of other things, including personal challenges as well,” Koren said. “We are intending to release those initial letters so people can understand the best they can what the person’s thought process was at one point in time.”
FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans said that law enforcement has not been able to identify any information indicating that Livelsberger belonged to any kind of a terrorist group or had any contact with one, but it's the FBI and anything they say needs to be taken with a grain of kosher salt.
“He does offer additional information that is varying on the spectrum in terms of political grievances, issues about the conflicts elsewhere, not here, domestic issues, societal issues, a variety of other things, including personal challenges as well,” Koren said. “We are intending to release those initial letters so people can understand the best they can what the person’s thought process was at one point in time.”
FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans said that law enforcement has not been able to identify any information indicating that Livelsberger belonged to any kind of a terrorist group or had any contact with one, but it's the FBI and anything they say needs to be taken with a grain of kosher salt.
“Investigative steps have discovered, and information from the Army indicates, that he likely suffered from PTSD, and we are also aware that there were potential other family issues or personal grievances in his own life that may have been contributing factors,” Evans said.
He said that Livelsberger “considered, planned, and thoughtfully prepared for this act alone,” adding that the incident was “a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues.”
Finally, Evans explained that Livelsberger wasn't on the FBI's radar and had no criminal history, which should make us all feel much safer now.
“So in terms of the so-called manifesto that’s circling or circulating online, we have strong evidence to suggest that it was the subject [Livelsberger] that wrote it, but we haven’t conclusively proven that,” he said. “And that evidence relates to other evidence that we’re finding, that we’re able to compare that lead us to believe it was in fact him who sent it.”
In today's crazy, gotta have a gimmick world, it's hard to know who to believe anymore. The alphabet groups have taught Americans not to trust them.
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