NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Friday, January 3, 2025

Episode Date: January 4, 2025

Police uncover messages from the suspect that may show a motive in the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion as his ex-girlfriend shares new video with NBC News, federal authorities warn of potential copycat attacks after the deadly New Orleans attack, a massive snowstorm set to hit the U.S., and more in tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the stunning new details on that cyber truck explosion in Las Vegas. The notes the suspect left behind, why he said he did it, now positively ID'd using DNA and his tattoos as an active duty special ops soldier. From his burned up phone, police retrieving a note, the motive he gave, claiming this wasn't a terror attack. Plus the new video his ex-girlfriend is sharing with NBC News. The suspect shown inside what appears to be the rented Cybertruck just days before the inferno. Also tonight, Bourbon Street now reopened after the deadly terror attack.

But are cameras spotting potential security gaps as federal authorities warn of potential copycats? The FBI back at the ISIS-inspired attacker's Houston home today, the images from inside, plus our exclusive, the very rare explosive found in the bombs he placed. How did he know about it? The massive cross-country storm, snow, ice, and rain for more than 1,000 miles all the way to the East Coast. The judge in Donald Trump's hush money case upholding his conviction, but saying the president-elect will not get jail time. Mike Johnson re-elected House Speaker. The drama as two Republicans switch their votes.

Should alcohol have cancer warning labels like cigarettes? The U.S. Surgeon General is here with a call to action. And Bourbon Street trying to bounce back as the city honors the dead. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. And good evening. I'm Tom Yamas in for Lester tonight. The first three days of 2025 have been defined by two acts of stunning violence, one in New Orleans and one in Las Vegas. The question in both, why? Law enforcement tonight laying out in fine detail the timeline, the motive, the trail of clues left behind by the special ops soldier they say shot himself, then blew himself up in a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. They say he had PTSD and wrote extensively about grievances, saying, wake up, America.

The digital trail emerging tonight, it's enormous. From the Cybertruck itself at electric charging stations, you see it right here, to the charred phone found in its wreckage. And tonight we hear from a former girlfriend, adding to the picturered phone found in its wreckage. And tonight we hear from a former girlfriend adding to the picture of what happened. And with speculation running wild, the FBI going out of its way to make the point the events in New Orleans and Las Vegas are not connected. Morgan Chesky starts us off with the stunning new details emerging from Las Vegas. Tonight, the motive and final days of Matthew Livelsberger coming into sharper focus. It ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily

decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues. Authorities laying out an extensive forensic accounting of the scene, explaining how they found his wallet and IDs charred but preserved under debris, displaying notes from his burned up phone, saying the Army Master Sergeant did not have any grudge against Donald Trump, but with the state of the country. He says fellow service members, veterans and all Americans, time to wake up. We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves. Authorities confirming through DNA and matching tattoos, the 37-year-old was the one inside the Tesla Cybertruck when it exploded, which they believe happened at the same time he shot himself. They also shared new images of Livelsberger at a Tesla charging station. Adding data shows the car was not in self-driving mode.

With questions mounting over the timing, the FBI stressing there is no known connection between Livelsberger, the New Orleans suspect, or any other terrorist organization. Meanwhile, a former girlfriend telling NBC News she received this video from the Green Beret inside what appears to be the rented Cybertruck just days before the explosion. Alicia Ayer at telling NBC News the communication began with a text last week telling her he rented the Cybertruck. I was surprised, especially when I knew he was already married and I thought he was happy. Aret sharing the two dated for several years, bonding over a love of the outdoors, describing him as respectful, driven and playful.

He was so funny. That was what caught me and drove me in. And it was just like instant chemistry with us. The messages continued at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Livelsberger texting, I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It's the expletive. Followed minutes later by, I feel like Batman or Halo.

The messaging, including the video inside the truck, continuing till New Year's Eve, when Arid says he went quiet. She found out about the bombing when she says she was contacted by the FBI. I don't know what drove him to it. I've just been rolling it around in my head for two days. Arid says Littlesburger was never violent towards her, but often complained of extreme pain following multiple back surgeries, among other issues. He would have headaches. He had some memory loss and trouble concentrating. I know he had some trouble. Military record show Livelsberger won many commendations, but was never awarded a Purple Heart. He did, however, serve on multiple

deployments, including Afghanistan in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Today in Las Vegas, investigators say as they search for a potential motive, the decorated veteran ended with this. I need to cleanse my mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took. And Morgan joins us now live. So, Morgan, we know questions have been raised over Livelsberger's medical history while in the military. Yeah, Tom, that's absolutely right. In fact, two U.S. government officials tell NBC News tonight that Livelsberger has seen a doctor at least three times from the months of August to December for specifically depression. Not only that, but the Department of Defense has turned over his military medical records to investigators. But they're not saying tonight if he ever showed any signs of suicide.

Tom. Morgan Chesky with a lot of new reporting tonight. Morgan, we thank you. We want to turn out of New Orleans more than two days after the terror attack that killed 14 people and wounded dozens. There are mounting concerns about security in the French Quarter as we learn new details about the suspect. Jesse Kirsch is there tonight. Even though Bourbon Street is now open and buzzing, tonight some people are not ready to return to New Orleans' most famous strip. Just thinking about the crowds that are going to be coming in for the Super Bowl, Mardi

Gras, I'm scared. After Wednesday morning's attack, Jada Songi quit her job as a bartender on Bourbon Street, where she worked for five years. When you saw what the security situation was like on this block last night. I was baffled. Like that's, I don't think I can say anything else. It just doesn't make any sense. Concerned for some about safety, even after the city says it has beefed up security. Just hours after Bourbon Street reopened yesterday, we were there.

Around 9 p.m. local time, hundreds of people were in and around the bars. And as we looked across Bourbon Street's intersections, while some entrances were fortified with vehicles, at least two different side roads leading to Bourbon Street that we saw had no heavy-duty barricades. Right now, this is one of the safest places on earth. Even as the city and Louisiana's governor keep promising safety. New Orleans PD says it has resumed normal police operations and that to protect the integrity of our security efforts, we won't be sharing specific details about operational plans. But new questions tonight about why Bourbon Street was not safe

Wednesday morning. NBC News has obtained excerpts from a 2019 corporate intelligence report warning Bourbon Street's barrier system does not appear to work and is rarely used. Excerpts of the report reviewed by NBC News also warn on Bourbon Street, the two modes of terror attack most likely to be used are vehicle ramming and active shooting. The report is more than five years old, but Bourbon Street's barrier repairs were still unfinished this week when what the FBI says was an ISIS-inspired terrorist killed 14 people. New Orleans police also facing new questions about why these barriers, now on Bourbon Street, were not there on New Year's. I didn't know about them, but we have them,

and so we have been able now to put them out. The manufacturer of these Archer barriers tells NBC News the city of New Orleans bought the protective equipment in 2017. They're 700 pounds, made of steel and designed to stop a car ramming attack. And as the public safety debate continues, so does the investigation into Shamshid Dinjabar. The FBI confirming it was at his Houston residence again today. This video showing a car towed away from the scene. NBC's Houston affiliate KPRC obtaining this video from inside the home, where two senior law enforcement officials tell NBC News the FBI found a significant amount of bomb-making materials and chemicals.

We're just as puzzled as the rest of the world. KPRC also obtaining this interview with Jabbar's brother, who says he and his father were interviewed yesterday by the world. KPRC also obtaining this interview with Jabbar's brother, who says he and his father were interviewed yesterday by the FBI. Were there any red flags leading up to the months, weeks or days before this happened? No, not that I know of, you know, not that he shared with anybody. All right, Jesse joins us now live from Bourbon Street tonight, and President Biden is set to head to New Orleans Monday, even as there is new concern tonight about possible copycat attacks. Yet some several law enforcement agencies are warning that ISIS supporters online are celebrating the deadly attack that took place on this street.

And that is more of these vehicle attacks occur. They are being highlighted more frequently in terrorist propaganda. Tom. OK, Jesse Kirsch for us tonight. Jesse, we thank you for that. I want to bring in our national law enforcement and intelligence correspondent now, Tom Winter. Tom, I know you've been getting to the bottom of just how rare the components in those improvised explosive devices the New Orleans attacker left behind were. So do we know how he got them? Well, Tom, today, two senior law enforcement officials say that the analysis of the functional IEDs planted by Jabbar near Bourbon Street contain a, quote, very rare explosive compound not seen before in any U.S. or European terror attack. The officials say they are trying to

determine how Jabbar learned of this compound and how to make it. In addition, Tom, it's not clear yet why those IEDs didn't go off. But the FBI and ATF tonight say they found a remote transmitter to explode them in Jabbar's truck. Had they exploded, it is likely there would have been more casualties on Bourbon Street. The investigation, which will include searching that car towed away today, remains ongoing. And the FBI has said that they believe Jabbar acted alone. Tom. All right, Tom Winter for us. Tom, we thank you for that.

We wanted to show you these images tonight. They're new images of victims' families walking hand in hand down Bourbon Street to a memorial there, as we're hearing from some of those directly impacted by the attack. Dottie Schwartz has their stories. When the gunshots rang out New Year's morning on Bourbon Street, Alexis Scott Wyndham was there. She had just been hit by the speeding truck, then hit by gunfire. I tried to run, but I couldn't. That's when I noticed something was wrong with my foot. I thought it was just a broken bone or something, But it wasn't. My feet had started leaking. But as I'm getting up, I'm seeing the dead bodies on the side of me.

So it's like one on this side and it's like one on this side. There's one man on this side. I'm like, Jesus, Jesus, please just let me make it home. Now back home in Alabama, she remembers that in the chaos, her friend called her mother. So somebody called your mom and she said, you got to make a tourniquet out of your sock? I mean, it sounds like your mom was trying to save you from afar. Yes. She already knew to call my mom. So I was like, calm down. Stop the bleeding.

Because I was bleeding a lot. After that, they tied it tight. Among the dozens of people hurt, tonight she's one of the lucky ones. Already released from the hospital, she's thankful for the stranger that picked her up and rushed her to the emergency room. And you still don't know his name? I still don't. I've been trying to find out who he was. While along Bourbon Street, candles for victims like New Orleans native son Terry Kennedy. His nephew says he would often bring a broom here and help keep the sidewalks clean. Is there a memory that sticks out to you? It's just like we seen him yesterday.

Yeah, I'm always remembering because I seen him New Year's Eve and the last words I told him was, we told each other we'll see each other later. And I guess this is my later. A community mourning 14 souls lost, their lives cut short celebrating the dawn of a new year. Gotti Schwartz, NBC News, New Orleans. OK, we turn to another major headline tonight, this time in the hush money case against President-elect Trump. In a surprise move, a New York judge saying he'll sentence Trump next week. Garrett Haig joins us tonight. And Garrett, the judge gave a big hint about the sentence he'll likely impose.

Yeah, that's right, Tom. Judge Juan Merchan denying President-elect Trump's bid to dismiss the case on presidential immunity grounds, instead saying he'll sentence Trump 10 days before his inauguration and signaling that he won't give Trump any jail time. The judge wrote that the most likely sentence will be an unconditional discharge, which essentially means no punishment at all. Trump was convicted on low-level felony charges of falsifying business records, and jail time was considered unlikely for a first-time offender. Trump has called this case a witch hunt by a Democratic DA,

and a Trump spokesperson today saying there should be no sentencing at all. Tom? And Garrett, we know President-elect Trump also got a victory with Speaker Mike Johnson's reelection today, but there was a little bit of drama. A little bit, Tom. The vote was held open for nearly an hour today after three House Republicans at first voted to block Johnson from reclaiming the Speaker's gavel. A huddle off the floor included a call from the President-elect to urge Johnson's conservative holdouts to back him. And two lawmakers then changed their votes.

Tom. OK, Garrett Haig first. Garrett, thank you. We want to turn to the extreme weather now because look at this. Yet more lake effect snow in upstate New York. We're also following a big new storm system forming. Bill Cairns joins us. And Bill, some serious weather ahead, huh?

Tom, the biggest storm of the winter. This is going to have it all. Sleet, freezing rain, heavy snow, maybe even a few tornadoes over the weekend. So 29 million people impacted. We're really watching Kansas City to St. Louis the start of the weekend. And then by the end of the weekend, we're going to be talking about snow in the mid-Atlantic. So 6 to 12 inches north of Interstate 70 in Kansas, Missouri, central Illinois, southern Indiana and southern portions of Ohio. And then eventually very heavy snow in even the Washington, D.C., Baltimore area Monday morning. The ice storm could be historic, maybe as much as a half an inch to three quarters of an inch of ice. That's enough for significant power outages here right along the Ohio River and especially in Kentucky.

And then on top of all this, Tom, it is brutally cold behind us. People are going to be cleaning up with negative wind chills and lows in Kentucky. And then on top of all this, Tom, it is brutally cold behind us. People are going to be cleaning up with negative wind chills and lows in the single digits. A freezing start to the year. All right, Bill, we thank you for that. We're going to take a quick break. And in 60 seconds, the wave of violent attacks in the country's largest subway system.

What officials are doing to take on growing fears right after this. Back now in New York, with the concerns over rising violence in the subways, we get more from Sam Brock, and we want to warn you some of the images are disturbing. On New York City subways, a rising sense of unease. At least once a week, I'll see some sort of violence or some sort of outburst. So many times I've been threatened with my child on the subway, literally with a week. I'll see some sort of violence or some sort of outburst. So many times I've been threatened with my child on the subway, literally with a knife. Just the last few weeks have seen

gruesome attacks from a sleeping rider lit on fire to a man shoved in front of a moving train while checking his phone to multiple stabbings New Year's Day. How would you assess the state of safety right now on the subway? Well, numerically, we've made a lot of progress. We're actually down 12% in felony crime versus pre-COVID. But we've had these terrible, high-profile incidents. Jan O'Lieber is the chair of New York's MTA, who says a thousand more police and National Guardsmen deployed in March and hundreds of new cameras have helped.

But the violent crimes are unacceptable. The New York City subway carries four and a half million people a day. That's the population of the city of Los Angeles. On a daily basis, we have five to six felony crimes. Overall, a safe place, but we have to push back against the disorder and the people who commit these serious high-profile crimes. Charles Fain-Lehman studies policing and public safety and points to data from Vital City, which shows the 10 murders on the subway in 2024 tied for the highest since at least 1997. It's substantially worse than anything we've seen on recent record. The city, like many other cities, has seen a decline in murders, notwithstanding what's happening on the subway, where things seem to be getting worse.

Riders using caution. Be aware of your surroundings. But keeping a close eye on what officials here do next. Sam Brock, NBC News, New York. And up next, we ask the Surgeon General about his new warning about alcohol and cancer. Stay with us. The U.S. Surgeon General sounding the alarm tonight over the cancer risks posed by alcohol. He's now calling for alcohol to have warning labels just like cigarettes. And he spoke to our Anne Thompson. Just in time for the weekend, a new warning about the dangers of alcohol and cancer. The advisory from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy reminds Americans alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer

behind tobacco and obesity. A reminder he wants added to warning labels already on booze, beer and wine. That would take an act of Congress. This is not based on new research. It's what we already knew. So why now? Well, actually, the research has been building for years now. We've had more and more evidence that keeps accumulating year by year. That's giving us a strong connection, a causal link between alcohol and cancer. He points to what he says are well-established links between alcohol and seven types of cancer. Mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, breast, liver, and colorectal disease. How does alcohol increase our cancer risk?

So alcohol and its breakdown products can actually cause changes to our genetic material, our DNA, that make us prone to developing cancer. The advisory says the risk for breast, mouth, and throat cancers may start to increase at one drink or fewer a day. When it comes to cancer risk, less drinking means less risk. Tonight, the national guidelines recommend two drinks a day are fewer for men, one or fewer for women. They will be reassessed later this year.

Anne Thompson, NBC News. And coming up, tough times for the Big Easy. How the soul of New Orleans is trying to shine through all that sorrow. Finally, there's good news tonight. New Orleans trying to come back while honoring all those who were lost. The culture of New Orleans is unlike anything else in the world. The brutal attack blasted through the city's beating heart, the French Quarter, which is now balancing a desire to remember and respect what happened with a desire to once again demonstrate the resilience of this city. New Orleans always rises above. We have been through it all, and we always overcome, and we do it in our own way.

Lauren Haydel loves this city so much, she opened Flirty Girl, a French quarter store filled with New Orleans merchandise. She now plans to donate part of her revenue to victims of the attack. We have a saying here in New Orleans, and it's won't bow down, and we won't bow down. There's a similar feeling a few blocks away at Galatoire's, one of New Orleans' most storied restaurants, which reopened yesterday. We have one another, and we have a strong and resilient city. This city, full of music and food and culture, means so much not just to the people who live here,

but the millions who visit each year. The Super Bowl, Mardi Gras, and Jazz Fest are all just around the corner. And while there are fears the attack could keep some away, listen to this teacher from Omaha who thought about canceling her trip, but decided to come anyway. I just felt like I needed to come support the city. The people that you meet, you know, they have my heart. And so I am so happy I still came. And that is the spirit of New Orleans.

And that's nightly news for this Friday. We thank you for watching. I'm Tom Yamas. Have a great night.