‘No definitive link’ between New Orleans terror attack and Tesla Cybertruck explosion

In a press conference early on Thursday (early Friday, Australia time), federal investigators also said they believed Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar acted alone. That is a major change from just 24 hours previously when the FBI stated they believed the suspect had multiple accomplices.

In addition, despite similarities between the Tesla Cybertruck explosion at Trump Tower in Las Vegas just hours later, investigators have said there is as of yet no “definitive link” to the New Orleans attack.

US born Jabbar was killed by police in the attack, alongside the 14 victims and 35 others who were injured on New Orleans’ bustling Bourbon St in the French Quarter at 3.15am on New Year’s Day.

Speaking in Thursday, FBI deputy assistant director Christopher Raia said the organisation was “aggressively” investigating the incident which is being treated as a premeditated and evil act of terrorism”. 

“I went down to the crime scene last night, it is very hard to put into words what it looked like and how difficult it was to see”.

Bourbon Street has now been cleared of victims and is set to reopen in Thursday, US time. 

Attack timeline 

Mr Raia laid out the clearest timeline so far of the lead up to the attack. Jabbar, who worked at accountancy firm Deloitte and was formerly in the US Army, rented a white Ford F-150 Lightning pick-up in Houston, Texas, on 30 December. 

He then drove the truck to New Orleans in Louisiana on New Year’s Eve.

Early on January 1, he posted several videos on Facebook professing his support of Islamic State and motive including at 1.29am and 3.02am, just minutes before he rammed scores of people down. 

Chilling initial plan

“In the first video, Jabbar explains he originally planned to harm his family and friends, but was concerned the news headlines would not focus on the ‘war between the believers and the disbelievers,’” said Mr Raia.

“Additionally, he stated he had joined ISIS before this summer, he also provided a will and testament”.

“He was 100 per cent inspired by ISIS,” Mr Raia said and teh investigation woudl also focus on his “path to radicalisation”.

Jabbar was divorced twice. It’s been reported that despite a generous salary at Deloitte, he paid much of it out in child support and various debt repayments. 

Acted alone

Mr Raia said that “we do not assess at this point that anyone else involved in this attack, is involved in this attack, except for Shamsud-Din Jabbar”.

Louisiana Governor Geoff Landry was asked how the authorities could be so sure no one else was involved when on Wednesday reporters were told Jabbar has accomplices. 

“Information changes,” he said. “No one does 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle and puts it together in five seconds.”

The FBI’s Mr Raia said the initial conclusion that other people were involved is because improvised explosive devices had been found in chillers which several people handled. 

“We did obtain surveillance footage showing Jabbar placing the devices where they were found.

“Many people stopped and looked at the cooler and then continued on their way. (But) let’s be clear, we do not believe at this point these people are involved in this incident in any way.”

Las Vegas link

Investigators are more circumspect on a link to Las Vegas but are tentatively pouring cold water on the two events having a connection. 

“We are following up on all potential leads and not ruling everything out. However, at this point, there is no definitive link between the attacks here in New Orleans and the one in Las Vegas.”

The alleged Tesla Cybertruck bomber has been identified as US Army veteran Matthew Livelsberger.

Livelsberger, 37, reportedly served at the same army base as Jabbar.

The suspects allegedly used the same app, Turo, to rent the Cybertruck and the white pick up truck involved in the New Orleans attack.

The terrifying blast outside one of Donald Trump’s hotels killed Livelsberger and injured several others on New Year’s Day.

Shocking footage caught the moment the car erupted outside the glass entrance of the Trump International Hotel just before 9am on Wednesday.

Loud bangs can be heard throughout the short video as black smoke fills the Nevada air.

The Cybertruck was ripped apart with its metal panelling flying across the street with up to seven people injured.

Elon Musk claimed the blast was “terrorism” related and that the events may be linked.

Police are still probing the deadly explosion to see if it was an “act of terror”.

President Joe Biden spoke out after the incident saying that there was a possible link between the two suspects. 

Speaking on the Las Vegas blast, the outgoing president said: “Law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating this as well, including whether there is any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans.

“Thus far there is nothing to report on that score for this time.”

Police reportedly swarmed an addresses in Colorado Springs, Colorado, late on Wednesday to search the property, KTNV reported.

Livelsberger had been serving in Germany but was on leave at the time of the incident. It is believed his wife had not heard from him in several days.

The truck was also thoroughly checked after the flames were extinguished with police discovering fireworks, gas tanks, and camping fuel.

These were all connected to a detonation system controlled by the driver, CNN reports.

In a post to X, Mr Musk claimed it had been confirmed that the explosion was caused by “very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck”. He said the incident, which saw the car burst into flames, is “unrelated to the vehicle itself”. 

“All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Musk said.

Investigators revealed that “large firework mortars” and gas canisters were found in the back of the vehicle.

Mr Musk went on to claim the “evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack”.

“Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken,” he said.

We have now confirmed 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.

All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion. https://t.co/HRjb87YbaJ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 2025

Speaking at a press conference regarding the Cybertruck explosion, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill referenced the New Orleans attack but did not explicitly link the two cases.

“r McMahill revealed the truck had been rented in Colorado, with authorities tracing the Cybertruck through Tesla charging stations. 

“I have to thank Elon Musk specifically. He gave us quite a bit of additional information in regards to how the vehicle was locked after it exploded, due to … the nature of the force from the explosion,” he said.

“[They were] able to capture all of the video from Tesla charging stations across the country.[Musk] sent that truck directly to us, so I appreciate his help on that.”

The vehicle arrived in Las Vegas at around 7.30am local time, driving up and down Las Vegas Boulevard before pulling up outside the hotel.

The explosion was reported at about 8.40am local time.

“We were told that a 2024 Cybertruck pulled up to the front of the hotel, and, in fact, I can tell you it pulled right up to the glass entrance doors of the hotel,” Mr McMahill said.

“We saw smoke start showing from the vehicle, and then an explosion from the truck occurs.”

He said authorities were investigating a “number of leads”.

A guest who was staying at the hotel when the explosion occurred claimed the force of the blast shook the windows.

The man, who goes by Stephen Felando on X, filmed the clouds of smoke billowing below his room.

“Holy sh*t a massive explosion just happened here … Something major just exploded here at the Las Vegas Trump international,” he said.

“Something just went off in the valet section. Something just blew, the windows here shimmied and shared. I don’t know what’s going on.”