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PBS News Hour - Segments

Truck explosion refocuses attention on mental health care for service members and veterans

PBS News Hour - Segments

PBS NewsHour

Daily News, News

4.11K Ratings

🗓️ 6 January 2025

⏱️ 8 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

There are new details about the man believed responsible for exploding a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump hotel in Las Vegas. Police and military officials believe Matt Livelsberger suffered post-traumatic stress disorder. Some of the final words he wrote might help explain the end of the life of a decorated special forces soldier. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Transcript

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0:00.0

There are new details tonight about the man believed responsible for exploding a Tesla

0:04.8

cyber truck last week in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. Police and military officials

0:10.4

now believe Matt Livelysberger suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, and we now have some

0:15.7

of the final words that he wrote that might help explain the end of the life of a decorated special forces soldier.

0:22.5

Here's Nick Schifrin.

0:24.2

Matthew Livalzberger was a warrior, a career special forces soldier known as a Green Beret.

0:29.9

In 13 years, he deployed nine times, including five times to Afghanistan,

0:34.5

and rose to become an intelligence, then team sergeant with the rank

0:38.8

of a master sergeant. But his final days were spent on leave, stopping at Tesla charging stations

0:44.4

on a circuitous route from Colorado to Las Vegas, where he died by suicide before exploding his

0:50.2

rented Tesla cyber truck in front of Trump Tower. In notes on his phone released by Las Vegas police, he called out, quote, military and vets,

0:58.7

be prepared to fight to get the Dems out of the Fed government.

1:02.7

But he also wrote, why did I personally do it now?

1:05.8

I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.

1:12.8

U.S. officials confirm Livalzberger, like so many other warriors, suffered trauma from service,

1:18.2

including a reported traumatic brain injury. He also suffered moral injury.

1:22.9

You want to read the email?

1:24.9

Yep.

1:25.1

That he detailed Army intelligence officer Sam Shumate who read a Livelylisberger email

1:29.9

on the Sean Ryan podcast. In the email, Livalzberger admitted he participated in a 2019

1:35.4

strike in Afghanistan that he said killed hundreds of civilians and a subsequent cover-up.

1:42.0

Livalzberger was also in touch with an ex after splitting up from his second wife.

...

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