Green Beret in Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion had been receiving mental health treatment

WASHINGTON ?The Army Green Beret suspected of triggering an explosion inside a Cybertruck and dying by suicide at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas had been receiving mental health treatment for depression as recently as December, a U.S. official said on Friday.

Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger, a highly decorated Special Forces soldier, is believed to have rented the Tesla truck, driving it to the entrance of the hotel and touching off an explosion. Livelsberger died of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to authorities. The military, especially the Army, has been hard-hit by suicide for years and has increased funding for behavioral health counseling.

Livelsberger had made three visits for mental health treatment from August to December, according to the official who had been briefed on the matter but was not authorized to speak publicly. It’s not clear if he had been deemed a risk for suicide or violence. He was 37.

Authorities Friday in Las Vegas said he had been suffering from post-traumatic stress and undisclosed personal issues.

The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division is working with the FBI and local law enforcement in Las Vegas, providing medical records for Livelsberger and other assistance, Sabrina Singh, the deputy Pentagon press secretary, told reporters on Friday.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “has been closely monitoring both situations and has actively engaged in providing updates to the president and homeland security leaders as needed,” Singh said.

President Joe Biden and others have said there is no evidence that the explosion was connected to the attack in New Orleans by an Army veteran that killed 14 people. Livelsberger’s motive for the explosion and suicide remain unclear.

Late in 2024, the Army saw a decline in suicide among soldiers, a welcome sign after years of worrying increases. Through October, the Army had 23 fewer suicides among active duty soldiers compared with the same period in 2023. Suicide totals for the Army were also below its five- and 10-year averages, he said.

In 2023, the Pentagon recorded 523 suicides across the services compared with 493 in 2022, according to its latest full-year figures.

Handguns are involved in about 3 in 4 deaths by suicide in the Army, prompting efforts by commanders to emphasize firearm safety.

Livelsberger apparently died by a gunshot wound to his head.

The Pentagon has stressed the need to erase the stigma of seeking help for mental health issues.

“We encourage our service members, if you need help, if you feel that you need to seek any type of mental health treatment or just to talk to someone, to seek the services that are available either on base or online,” Singh said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Green Beret in Las Vegas explosion had been treated for depression