Former Green Beret and mixed martial arts athlete Tim Kennedy revealed he once shared screen time with Las Vegas Cybertruck suspect Matt Livelsburger on a 2013 reality TV series.
Kennedy, 45, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who competed professionally for 15 years, said he encountered Livelsburger on the History Channel show “Ultimate Soldier Challenge,” where they were paired as partners.
“The elite men and women of America’s Special Operations’ units come head-to-helmet in a worldwide battle of their skill, adaptability and strength,” reads the show’s description.
Livelsburger, 37, ended by his own hand on New Year’s Day outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas when a makeshift device he had planted detonated. Seven innocent people were injured in the incident, which police say could have been worse if not for Elon Musk’s Cybertruck.
Kennedy recognized Livelsburger, who went by “Matt Burg” on the show, after seeing news coverage of the incident.
“He was a sincere, hard-working, talented, and competent Special Forces operator,” Kennedy said. “I am flabbergasted and heartbroken to hear the news. None of this makes sense and I like many others are confused and want answers.”
According to Inside Edition, during filming, Livelsburger discussed his enthusiasm for the project and had to pause production at one point due to heat exhaustion.
Investigators have determined Livelsburger acted alone, with his actions influenced by PTSD and personal grievances, according to Spencer Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas division.
“Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of s*icide, involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues,” Evans said during a Friday press conference.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Kevin McMahill noted Livelsburger’s distinguished military career, which included five combat tours. “They’re exposed to things, they see things, they hear things, they feel things, and they smell things that most normal people don’t have to do,” McMahill said of veterans’ experiences.
