The Las Vegas Cybertruck attacker was a highly trained military expert who certainly had enough skill to have blown up Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas.
“He could have torn down the whole building if he wanted to,” a source close to the family told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.
“He was working on drone programs in the last few months, which dropped bombs on people.”
Matthew Livelsberger’s family is stunned by the decorated soldier’s decision to end his life by shooting himself in the head seconds before his Tesla Cybertruck exploded.
Seven people were injured in the explosion outside the Trump International Hotel on New Year’s Day.
The source described the soldier as a “great American,” and painted the image of an honorable soldier, father and patriot dedicated to his work as a soldier. Expert operator in the Army Special Forces.
‘He loved the army. “He joined right out of high school,” the source told DailyMail.com on Friday.
Livelsberger, 37, a decorated Green Beret who oversaw drone operations and maintenance within his Special Forces unit, had spent nearly two decades in the military.
Matthew Livelsberger’s family is reeling from his decision to end his life outside the Trump International Hotel on Wednesday.
The family source described the Green Beret (just active duty) as a “great American” and an honorable military father and husband, who was dedicated to his job as an expert operator in the Army Special Forces.
He joined the Army right out of Bucyrus High School in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and rose through the ranks quickly.
He went on to take on critical roles in intelligence and security throughout his career, and at one point even worked as protection for the U.S. ambassador to the Congo, according to family members.
The family last spoke with Livelsberger on Christmas Day and described him as “in great spirits.”
“He was with his wife and kids, he had plans for the future,” the source said.
“I know he had his demons, but we’re all in shock.”
Livelsberger, an Afghanistan veteran, had recently accepted a position as a remote and autonomous systems administrator while stationed at Camp Panzer Kaserne, southwest of Stuttgart, Germany, in November.
The family source said he had been working on military drone programs in recent months.
“He had been working on drones, the ones that drop bombs all over the world,” the source said.
Livelsberger rented the Tesla Cybertruck in Colorado Springs, through the Turo app, and drove it more than 800 miles across three states on Wednesday morning, where he carried out the attack (pictured).
Police found credit cards, his passport and a military ID on him, but are still referring to him as a person of interest while they wait for DNA confirmation.
The body of Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was burned beyond recognition after he apparently blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas.
He had been on a break from his service that allowed him to return to the United States.
Livelsberger’s body was burned beyond recognition in the explosion and was identified through his tattoos, Sheriff Kevin McMahill said Thursday.
Police found credit cards, his passport and his military ID.
The weapons found in the truck were acquired legally on December 30, 2024.
The electric vehicle, rented through the Turo app, exploded about 15 seconds after the driver stopped in front of the hotel entrance.
He picked it up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and drove more than 800 miles across three states to reach Las Vegas.
Police are still searching for a motive for the attack.
Sheriff McMahill addressed the similarities between the terrorist act in Las Vegas and the one in New Orleans carried out by Texas native Shamsud-din Jabbar, 42, who waved an ISIS flag while massacring 14 and injuring dozens with a truck rented.
Both served at Fort Bragg – now renamed Fort Liberty – in North Carolina, but officials don’t know if they ever crossed paths.
Both also served in Afghanistan in 2009, however officials say they have seen no evidence that they were in the same unit or unit. That remains under investigation.
Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces that work to counter terrorism abroad and train their partners, the Army said in a statement.
He had been in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career in overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and the Congo, the Army said.
Livelsberger received two Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for bravery under fire, a Combat Infantry Badge and an Army Commendation Medal for Valor.
The family says Livelsberger “always loved the military and joined the military right out of Bucyrus High School in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, before quickly rising through the ranks.”
He had served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career in overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and the Congo, the Army said.
The weapons found in the truck were purchased legally on Dec. 30, 2024, police said.
The passport found by authorities inside the Tesla vehicle is shown above.
Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.
He was married to social worker Sara Livelsberger, who said she had not heard from him for days before his apparent suicide.
His uncle Dean Livelsberger told The Independent that his nephew was “100 per cent patriotic” and described him as a “Rambo guy”.
“I used to do all kinds of patriotic stuff on Facebook, I 100 percent loved the country,” he continued.
‘He loved Trump and he was always a very, very patriotic soldier, a patriotic American. It’s one of the reasons he was in the Special Forces for so many years. It wasn’t just a tour of duty.
The video showed a drop of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosive devices piled up in the back of the truck.
The walls of the truck bed were still intact because the explosion shot upward and not sideways.