Vehicle Rentals Raise Questions Regarding Peer-to-Peer Security Measures in Recent Attacks
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Trucks in New Orleans attack and Las Vegas explosion were rented on Turo
In a shocking turn of events, it has come to light that the vehicles used in the recent attacks in both New Orleans and Las Vegas were rented via peer-to-peer service called Turo. According to reports, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the driver responsible for the New Orleans attack, had pleaded guilty in 2015 to charges related to driving under the influence (DUI), a felony offense in the state of Louisiana. Despite this, it is unclear if Turo’s screening process flagged this incident.
Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S.-born citizen from Texas, was a U.S. Army veteran who lived in Houston and had posted videos proclaiming his support for ISIS before the attack. He rented a Ford electric pickup truck from Turo in Houston on December 30, 2024, and drove it to New Orleans on December 31.
On January 1, Jabbar bypassed barriers put in place on Bourbon Street, which included patrol cars and law enforcement, before plowing onto the sidewalk, according to police officials. The attack resulted in at least 14 fatalities and dozens of injuries.
In a separate incident that occurred on the same day, Matthew Alan Livelsberger, an active-duty U.S. Army Special Forces intelligence sergeant who was serving in Germany but on leave in Colorado at the time of the incident, rented a Tesla Cybertruck from Turo. The vehicle, a 2024 model that had been rented in Colorado, pulled up to the Trump hotel’s glass entrance doors around 9:30 a.m. local time. Smoke began emerging from the vehicle before a large explosion occurred.
Investigations have revealed that gasoline and camp fuel canisters and large firework mortars were found in the back of the vehicle after the explosion. The incident, which is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, resulted in one fatality – the driver of the car – and injured seven others outside of the vehicle.
It is worth noting that Turo’s screening process relies on its proprietary “risk score” to assess potential renters, which takes into account more than 50 data inputs.
Source: www.cbsnews.com
