Turo-rented cars were involved in 2 deadly incidents this New Year's. Here's what we know
Share:
Two deadly incidents on New Year's Day — an attack being investigated as an act of terrorism in New Orleans and an explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas — both involved vehicles that were rented on Turo, a peer-to-peer car sharing company. Early Wednesday, 42-year-old Army veteran Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter — killing 14 people who were celebrating the New Year. And police fatally shot Jabbar in a following firefight. Just hours after, outside of President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas, a Tesla Cybertruck packed with explosives also burst into flames. The person inside, identified as active-duty U.S. Army Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, died. Officials later said he suffered a gunshot wound to the head before the explosion.
In a statement Wednesday, Turo said it was “devastated by these horrible incidents” and remained “dedicated to helping the authorities however we can.” While both incidents involved vehicles rented on this platform, the FBI has since said that is has found “no definitive link” between the New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas explosion.
Still, the incidents have put a spotlight on the car sharing platform. Here's what we know about Turo. What is Turo?. Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing company. The online platform allows car owners to rent their own vehicles directly to other nearby drivers, or “guests.” “Hosts” set their prices, availability and delivery options for renters to choose from and book via Turo's website or app.
