Link between New Orleans attack and Cybertruck explosion investigated by police
Authorities in the US are investigating whether there is any military connection between the suspect in the New Orleans terror attack and the driver of a Tesla cybertruck that exploded in Las Vegas.
New Orleans attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a US Army veteran from Texas, was shot dead by police after mowing down crowds of New Year’s revellers, killing 15 people and injuring more than 30 others.
In Las Vegas, a Tesla cybertruck exploded into flames outside one of Donald Trump’s hotels. The driver died in the vehicle, while seven people nearby suffered minor injuries.
Tesla is owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of the president-elect, who has been tasked with leading his new Department of Government Efficiency.
The blast is being investigated as a potential terror attack, law enforcement officials have said.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on both incidents and told reporters that investigators are examining whether they could be connected.
‘We’re tracking the explosion of a Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas,’ he said.
‘Law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating this as well — including whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans.’
Two law enforcement sources familiar with the cases told NBC News that investigators are now looking into whether the two could be linked via the military.
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