NJ mystery drones tied to Tesla explosion at Trump Las Vegas

☑️ Las Vegas explosion suspect said he knew origin of NJ drones

☑️ Drone sightings have died down over holidays

☑️ FAA expands no-fly zones

The mystery drone frenzy that seemed to have faded over the holidays may come back with a bang after the New Jersey phenomenon was linked to the Tesla Cybertruck blast at the Trump hotel in Las Vegas.

In a Dec. 31 email that the FBI believes was likely written by the Army soldier who died in the Jan. 1 explosion, Matthew Livelsberger, 37, says the drones in New Jersey were being operated by China.

The Colorado man also left a note saying the explosion was merely a stunt to serve as a “wakeup call” for the country’s ills. He also said he needed to “cleanse my mind” of the lives lost of people he knew and “the burden of the lives I took.”

But it was an email circulated by podcaster Shawn Ryan that was getting attention in New Jersey.

In the email, which investigators acknowledged during a news conference, Livelsberger says the drones are "operational use of gravitic propulsion systems powered aircraft by most recently China in the east coast, but throughout history, the US."

He says "China has been launching them from the Atlantic from submarines for years, but this activity recently has picked up."

"As of now, it is just a show of force and they are using it similar to how they used the balloon," he said in an apparent reference to the 2023 balloon incident across the continental United States.

Listeners of the show pointed out that the email was loaded with paranoia and conspiracies.

"Email may well be real. 'Gravitic propulsion'? Not so much," one commenter said on X.

The claims in the email have not been verified and federal officials have disputed theories that the drone sightings are tied to foreign adversaries. In fact, federal officials have said many of the reported sightings have been of airplanes, helicopters, stars and planets, and legally operated drones.

The Las Vegas explosion followed a terror attack involving a truck that killed 14 and injured more than 30 in New Orleans. The Louisiana attack was also carried out by an Army veteran, although authorities believe he was motivated by the Islamic State and not tied to the Las Vegas blast.

Livelsberger harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, Clark County sheriff’s officials said.

“Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues,” FBI Special Agent In Charge Spencer Evans said at a news conference.

FAA expands drone restrictions over NJ

The development from Las Vegas comes as the FAA expands drone restrictions over New Jersey.

The FAA added 34 locations to its Temporary Flight Restrictions list on Dec. 24 and Dec. 30 for “special security reasons." The list now has 57 locations.

The newest locations include Wall Township, near the state's National Guard training facility in Sea Girt, and former artillery base Fort Hancock at Sandy Hook. The restrictions end on Jan. 19.

Under the FAA order, no unmanned aircraft can operate below 400 feet within one nautical mile of the airspace specified in each town.

The FAA had no additional explanation for the additional locations and referred questions to the Department of Homeland Security. The FBI, which is leading the investigation into the drone sightings, had no comment on Thursday.

ALSO READ: NJ links in NOLA terror attack that killed 14

Drone distractions

The additions are of concern to former Pequannock Mayor Ryan Herd who ended 8 years in office on New Year's Day. The Republican said he believes that interest in drones has ebbed as the public's attention turned to the holidays and the terrorist incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

"We're really focusing on our families more than anything else. I think we've come a little accustomed to it, so people are seeing it, but they're not reporting it. Or that's why they're not reporting it because it's kind of a nightly occurrence," Herd said. "I'm still getting questions from other people, but as far as somebody submitting something that's useless because nothing's happening."

Herd said he saw three in the skies over Sussex County and four over Morris County on New Year's Eve.

He believes that the expanded list is raising suspicions.

"When the government puts up more no-fly zones for drones, people are like, 'what's going on?'"

ALSO READ: NJ town put on lockdown as man is charged with attempted murder

Sightings slow at the Shore

Drone sightings along the shore have decreased, according to Ocean County Sheriff Mike Mastronardy. They are no longer staffing a command post that had been set up in Seaside Heights after police body cam footage viewed by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., 4th District, showed 55 drones coming from the ocean.

About 20 of the drones followed a U.S. Coast Guard rescue craft, according to Smith. The Department of Homeland Security denied such an incident occurred.

"We're not getting any calls. As quick as they came, they left," Mastronardy told New Jersey 101.5. "Hopefully next time someone will tell us what they're doing."

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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