The tragic New Orleans terror attack and the Tesla Cybertruck explosion near Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on New Year’s Day share a surprising common link — the car-sharing service Turo.
Although authorities have stated they have no evidence connecting the two incidents, investigations revealed that the vehicles involved — a pickup truck used in the Bourbon Street attack and the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded — were both rented through Turo.
Turo is an online platform that enables users to rent vehicles from verified hosts registered on the app.
Users simply enter their location and are offered a range of available vehicles, from sports cars to family minivans and more.
The requirements for renting a vehicle on Turo are minimal.
According to Turo’s website, renters do not need a U.S. driver’s license or personal insurance coverage to book a vehicle.
To create a Turo account, renters must have a valid driver’s license, meet the age requirement — which is 18 years old in the U.S. — and fulfill other basic conditions.
“In most cases, you’ll get approved immediately,” Turo highlights on its website.
Most hosts coordinate car delivery directly to renters, the platform notes.
Alternatively, renters may pick up the vehicles at specified locations such as homes or parking areas.
Contactless pickup methods, including lock-box systems or app-based unlocking features, are also widely used on the platform.
Turo operates in several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and France.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who carried out a car attack on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans’ French Quarter, killed at least 15 people and injured 30 others.
Authorities confirmed that Jabbar used Turo to rent the white Ford electric pickup truck involved in the attack.
Later that same day, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, resulting in one fatality.
Law enforcement confirmed that the Cybertruck was also rented via the Turo app.
No arrests have been made in connection with the Tesla Cybertruck explosion, which is being investigated as a potential act of terrorism.
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