Turo App Emerging As A Link In Recent Attacks In New Orleans, Las Vegas

The New Year began tragically in the United States with deadly incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas, shocking the nation. While initial investigations suggested no connection between the two cases, new revelations have prompted authorities to reconsider. The FBI is now examining both incidents as potential acts of terror.

The suspects in the cases—Shamsud Din Jabbar, linked to the Bourbon Street attack that claimed 15 lives, and Matthew Livelsberger, identified as the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside Donald Trump’s hotel—were both US Army veterans.

Both suspects died in the incidents, further complicating the investigations. Authorities also discovered that both men had rented the vehicles involved in the tragedies using the same app, Turo, raising questions about a possible link between the two events.

Turo

According to its website, Turo is a car rental marketplace that enables users to “rent anything from daily drivers to pickup trucks, from trusted, local hosts.” The platform streamlines the car-sharing process, eliminating the need for in-person interactions between the “hosts” and “guests.” Founded in 2010 and headquartered in San Francisco, Turo operates as an alternative to traditional car rental services in the US, Canada, Australia, and France, according to Newsweek.

Steve Webb, Turo’s vice president of communications, stated that the company is fully cooperating with ongoing investigations. Regarding the New Orleans incident, Webb noted, “We are not aware of anything in this guest’s background that would have identified him as a trust and safety threat.”

In New Orleans, a Ford pickup truck allegedly rented via Turo by 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar is at the center of the investigation. Jabbar reportedly used the vehicle to ram through crowds of New Year’s Eve revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more. Jabbar was fatally shot after engaging in a firefight with police, leaving two officers injured.

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, the Tesla Cybertruck involved in the explosion outside the Trump International Hotel was also allegedly rented through Turo. Matthew Livelsberger, the suspect in this case, was behind the wheel of the silver Cybertruck when it detonated near Las Vegas Boulevard and Sammy Davis Jr. Drive.

Officials respond

“We are heartbroken to learn that one of our host’s vehicles was involved in this awful incident. We are actively partnering with the FBI. We are not currently aware of anything in this guest’s background that would have identified him as a trust and safety threat to us at the time of the reservation,” a Turo spokesperson told News Nation.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin Mc Mahill stated that authorities are treating the two attacks as isolated incidents. At present, they have labeled the app’s involvement in both cases as a “coincidence.”

Turo, described as the “world’s largest car sharing marketplace,” allows individuals to book vehicles by providing a driver’s license, being over 18 years old, and submitting personal information for approval. The app highlights, “Entrepreneurs can take the wheel of their futures by becoming hosts and building car sharing businesses on Turo, leveraging an established platform to scale their businesses and meet their goals. With Turo, everyone has the power to get in the driver’s seat.”