Elon Musk Responds to Cybertruck Explosion Conspiracy Theory
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has dismissed a conspiracy theory that suggests Matthew Livelsberger, the suspect behind the Las Vegas Cybertruck incident, was framed.
Newsweek has contacted Tesla for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Amid the ongoing investigation, unanswered questions surrounding the incident have sparked the proliferation of unfounded theories online.
What To Know
On Wednesday, a Cybertruck exploded at 8:40 a.m. local time in the valet area of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. According to Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill, Livelsberger, the sole person in the vehicle, suffered a gunshot wound to the head before the blast.
Seven other people were injured by the explosion, which Las Vegas authorities are investigating as an act of terrorism.
Police are exploring the possibility that Livelsberger drove to the hotel and shot himself before detonating the makeshift explosives in the Cybertruck.
However, social media accounts, such as @EndWokeness on X, formerly Twitter, have promoted the theory that Livelsberger may have been framed by someone who put his body in the car and activated the Cybertruck’s autopilot feature.
The theory also questioned the idea that Livelsberger, a former Green Beret and military explosives expert, used makeshift explosives in the vehicle, which was filled with gas canisters and fireworks.
Theorists say that with almost 20 years of experience with the Army Special Forces, Liverlsberger should have been able to create more powerful and complex explosives than the rudimentary ones found in the Cybertruck.
On X, Musk responded to the theory that Livelsberger could have been murdered elsewhere before the Cybertruck’s autopilot drove the vehicle to the hotel, saying the autopilot would not have worked because the vehicle requires an “attentive person” in the driver’s seat to function.
First responders in hazmat gear investigating a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded in front of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Las Vegas on January 1. Seven people were injured in the explosion.
Getty Images
What People Are Saying
Rogan O’Handley, a political commentator, wrote on X on Thursday: “Now that we know the Vegas suspect was found with a bullet in his head, I see 2 possible scenarios. One, he shot himself—he was planning to commit suicide & didn’t want to risk being burned alive. Two, he was shot by someone else & the Tesla was auto-pilot navigated to the Trump hotel.”
Elon Musk responded to O’Handley’s post: “Autopilot will not function unless it detects an attentive person in the driver’s seat.”
X user @EndWokeness wrote: “CyberTruck bomber … Green Beret military bomb expert yet he used amateur explosives. Did someone put his corpse in the car? Remember, the car is fully self-driving.”
What Happens Next
Law enforcement officials have continued to treat the explosion as a potential terror attack as they search for a motive behind the blast. Musk is set to join the incoming Trump administration as the co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
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