The soldier found dead in the Tesla Cybertruck which exploded on Wednesday in front of the Trump hotel in Las Vegas suffered from “post-traumatic stress” and “had no animosity towards the newly elected president”, American authorities assured Friday.
“This appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a decorated veteran … who is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues,” said the FBI agent in charge. of the investigation, Spencer Evans.
Matthew Livelsberger, a member of the US Army Special Forces, shot himself in the head in Las Vegas, aboard a Cybertruck which he blew up with cans of gasoline and fireworks , after renting the vehicle online.
“No animosity towards Donald Trump”
This act, which occurred just hours after a car-ramming attack which killed 14 people in New Orleans, carried out by a former soldier inspired by the Islamic State (IS) group, raises multiple questions about the motivations of the suspicious.
The political proximity between Tesla boss Elon Musk and Donald Trump fuels speculation around this mysterious gesture. But according to the first elements of the investigation, Matthew Livelsberger “had no animosity towards the Republican president,” detailed Spencer Evans.
Investigators have so far established “no link” between this 37-year-old soldier and any terrorist organization, recalled this FBI official.
No a priori link with New Orleans
Likewise, there is nothing to establish a link between the explosion in Las Vegas and the attack in New Orleans, according to the American federal police.
The exploitation of the suspect’s phone is still ongoing and is beginning to reveal confusing motivations. Investigators notably found two letters there where he mentioned “political grievances,” explained a Las Vegas sheriff’s deputy, Dori Koren.
Matthew Livelsberger discusses “questions about conflicts elsewhere” in the world and “national problems, societal problems”, as well as “personal challenges”, he detailed.
“Relieve myself of the burden of the lives I have taken”
Excerpts from these letters were revealed during the press conference. “We are the United States of America, the best country that has ever existed,” the soldier wrote in one of the letters. “But right now we are fatally ill and heading towards collapse. It was not a terrorist attack, but a wake-up call. »
The suspect also explains having organized an explosion because “Americans only pay attention to shows and violence”. To explain his action, he cites trauma suffered during his military career.
“I needed to clear my mind of the brothers I lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took,” he wrote.
