Investigators have new information about the Colorado Springs man who blew up a Telsa Cybertruck outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel on New Year's Day.
According to authorities, Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger, 37 — who was responsible for the blast — died by suicide and acted alone. While federal and local authorities are still working to uncover Livelsberger’s intent for the bombing, investigators said that Livelsberger used AI, specifically ChatGPT, to plan his attack.
His ChatGPT searches included: “what is the largest gun store in Denver” and “could it ignite Tannerite.”
“We knew that AI was going to change the game at some point or another in, really, all of our lives,” Sheriff Kevin McMahill with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said on Tuesday. “And certainly I think this is the first incident — that I'm aware of — on U.S. soil where ChatGPT was utilized to help an individual build a particular device… So, absolutely, it's a concerning moment for us.”
While the FBI and other federal agencies have the ability to monitor online activity related to national security threats — like cyber security, terrorism, or other crime prevention — the feds and local agencies do not have the ability to track AI usage, according to McMahill.
“I don't think that capability exists as we sit here today,” he said.
Livelsberger had no prior criminal history.
Last week, authorities also found Livelsberger’s “manifesto,” where he wrote it was time for Americans to “wake up.” The document outlined grievances related to political, cultural, and social matters, including pointed criticism of the current administration.
“We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves,” Livelsberger wrote.
Both the manifesto as well as a document shared by “The Shawn Ryan Show Podcast” have shed light on Livelsberger’s mental state, suggesting his potential struggle with PTSD, possibly linked to his military service, as a contributing factor for his actions.
Investigators also recovered video evidence of Livelsberger pouring fuel over the cybertruck prior to parking it outside the Trump hotel. In one video, a trail of liquid, that authorities say was racing fuel, can be seen leaking down the sides of the car as Livelsberger pulled up at the front of the hotel.
According to Special Agent Kenny Cooper, who is an expert in firearms and explosives, investigators found more than 60 pounds of “explosive material” based on purchase records and residue that remained inside the cybertruck. Based on the investigation, Livelsberger poured over 20 gallons of fuel over fireworks and other explosives inside the truck.
It is still unclear how the explosion happened. Authorities now know that Livelsberger died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before the truck blew up. He was therefore unable to denote the bomb. Cooper says that “it would've been a significantly different blast” had he been able to set off the bomb himself.
“So whether he failed to achieve that mission, whether he backed out of that and went more to just a suicide, those are hypotheticals we can't get inside his head to answer,” Cooper said.
