Editor’s note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

Metro Police on Monday released a comprehensive after-action report on their response to the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Trump International Hotel on New Year’s Day, with Sheriff Kevin McMahill praising interagency cooperation during the high-profile incident.

“In over 35 years of policing, I have never experienced the level of connectivity between local, state and federal partners like I did during this investigation. There were no interagency struggles, no battling egos — it truly was leadership at its finest. I will forever be grateful to our partners. This after-action report is a testament to LVMPD’s ability to learn from all critical events,” McMahill wrote in a letter included with the newly released findings.

The report details Metro’s rapid response — officers arrived at 8:44 a.m. Jan. 1, within four minutes after Matthew Livelsberger parked a rented Cybertruck in the hotel’s porte cochere and triggered a massive explosion. The Clark County Fire Department arrived a minute later to extinguish the flames. Within 14 minutes, police had established a command post upwind about 200 yards from the scene and began securing the area as the blast left six people injured and hundreds more stunned.

The report highlights that Metro’s existing relationships with Strip properties were key in distributing accurate information and enabling swift coordination among agencies.

Advanced technology significantly aided the response and investigation, according to the report. Metro crime scene analysts captured more than 4,000 photographs, collected 125 pieces of evidence and used a scanner to create detailed 3D digital reconstructions of the blast site. Metro’s digital forensic lab also retrieved cellphone data from the destroyed Cybertruck, uncovering a manifesto from Livelsberger, along with his internet search history and social media activity.

Investigators obtained 62 search warrants over about 10 days to access the vehicle, bank records, surveillance video, social media accounts, and Livelsberger’s residence in Colorado Springs, Colo. The report said Livelsberger rented the vehicle through Turo on Dec. 28, 2024, in Denver and made several stops to buy firearms, ammunition, fireworks and explosive materials before arriving four days later in Las Vegas.

Despite Metro’s swift and coordinated response, the report outlines nine recommendations to address operational challenges.

Body-worn camera footage showed that first responders were unaware of the specific dangers associated with electric vehicle fires, particularly lithium-ion batteries. The report recommends specialized training for electric vehicle-related incidents.

Although officers quickly contained the front of Trump International Hotel, delays in securing the rear allowed evacuees to gather in unsecured spaces. The report calls for reinforcing the standardized “four corners” containment approach.

Communication lapses also emerged, as interviews indicated varying understandings of roles and priorities between law enforcement and fire personnel. The report recommends quarterly joint meetings and regular training between Metro and the Clark County Fire Department.

The incident underscored staffing shortages that complicated management of the prolonged scene. The report noted that the first week of the new year brings high tourist volumes to Las Vegas, heightening the need for additional police resources. It recommends extending the emergency mobilization coverage typically used for New Year’s Eve operations.

Other recommendations include improving liaison communication protocols, reviewing dispatcher notification procedures, updating protective equipment standards for crime scene analysts, providing standardized training for emerging technologies and formalizing Employee Wellness Bureau support procedures during critical incidents.