(MENAFN- Live Mint) Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk alleged a possible LINK between the explosion of a Cybertruck outside the trump International Hotel in Las Vegas and a similar attack in New Orleans. He said both vehicles were rented from the same car rental site, Turo.
In the New Orleans attack, a suspect rammed into a crowd during New Year's celebrations with a Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck rented from the same site.
"Appears likely to be an act of terrorism. Both this Cybertruck and the F-150 suicide bomb in New Orleans were rented from Turo. Perhaps they are linked in some way," Musk wrote on X.
One person was killed and seven others were injured in the explosion in Las Vegas, according to a CNN report.
Musk said the explosion was caused by fireworks or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck, not by the vehicle itself.
"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," Musk wrote on X."All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion," he added.
He said, "The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now."
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said authorities are tracking the explosion of a cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas and investigating a possible link with the New Orleans incident.
"Law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating this as well, including whether there's any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans," he added.
Biden said,“Thus far, there's nothing to report on that score at this time. I directed my team to make sure every resource is made available to federal, state and local law enforcement to complete the investigation in New Orleans quickly and to make sure there is no remaining threat to the American people. We will support the people of New Orleans as they begin the hard work of healing...”
According to CNN, Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said a vehicle fire was reported at the hotel just after 8:40 am. Crews arrived to find a 2024 Cybertruck engulfed in flames, he said.
"There is one deceased individual inside the Cybertruck and I don't know whether it is a male or a female at this time," McMahill said.
Jeremy Schwartz, acting special agent in charge of the FBI in Las Vegas, also confirmed that his team is involved in the investigation.
According to US officials, the explosives contained in the Cybertruck were fireworks, gas tanks and camping fuel, which were connected to detonation system controlled by the driver, CNN reported.
Authorities are exploring any connection between the explosion and the attack in New Orleans, where a suspect rammed into a crowd with a truck rented on Turo, killing 15 people.
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