This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Local and federal authorities said back-to-back attacks in Las Vegas and in New Orleans were not connected.
In a press conference Friday afternoon, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill revealed why authorities aren’t considering the attacks connected.
“The simple answer to that is we don’t find anything to actually point us in that direction,” McMahill said. “There are those coincidences that we have spoken very openly about, but we have not found throughout this entire investigation anything that ties the two attacks directly together.”
Online speculation soared after it was revealed Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the New Orleans attack suspect, and the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck, Livelsberger, both spent time at the large military base formerly called Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
Local and federal enforcement also revealed that the U.S. Army Green Beret wrote it was “time to wake up” in notes penned before his death.
Police officials released sections of Livelsberger’s “manifesto,” and said they would release the full document later.
“This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call” Livelsberger wrote, according to the cropped notes shared by Las Vegas police. “Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?
“Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I’ve lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took,” he wrote.
“We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed towards collapse.”
Livelsberger likely had PTSD and ongoing family problems that contributed to his actions, sheriff’s officials said.
“Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues,” McMahill said.
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The Las Vegas chief said this is why authorities are prioritizing the mental health of law enforcement officials and veterans.
“Quite frankly, this is the reason why we started our wellness bureau here at Metro and taking care of the heart, mind, body and soul of the people that are out there doing this work, because they’re exposed to things, they see things, they hear things, they feel things and they smell things that most normal people don’t have to do,” McMahill said.Â
“And the heroes that are serving in the military and on the front lines of America’s policing are challenged that way,” he said. “And, so, I think we need to really pay attention to those individuals, pay attention to what mental health in America looks like.”
Livelsberger did not appear to dislike President-elect Trump, local and federal authorities said.
“There’s a variety of different reporting out there,” McMahill said. “Notable on what some of the people around him and what their particular political views were. I think when you read some of these documents, you’ll see that he actually calls it a stunt.Â
“In one of these documents that we’re going to release to you … he was trying to get the attention of the American people because he was upset about a number of different things.
“I’m not conclusively telling you anything about his political affiliations at this point, but I think there’s … more to come on that.”
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Police noted Livelsberger was considering other locations, pointing to excerpts from his manifesto.
“I think when you read through some of that, you might find that, you know, there were some other considerations as well for other locations,” McMahill said. “We can’t verify all of that at this point. And, so, that’s why I haven’t talked about that publicly.
“There was one, one location in Grand Canyon that was specifically talked about, but we haven’t been able to verify that.”
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said Livelsberger died from a self-inflicted gunshot. He noted that the suspect placed gun in his mouth and discharged it
“We know also, as mentioned by the sheriff yesterday, there was a self-inflicted gunshot wound by the suspect,” Koren said. “The coroner was very specific in saying it was an intro orbital gunshot wound, which essentially means that the suspect put the firearm in his mouth and discharged the gun. And, ultimately, the wound came out the left side of his head.”
