Authorities recovered multiple weapons inside the vehicle, including two shotguns, an AR-style pistol, numerous loaded rifle magazines, a box of shotgun shells and two commercially available flamethrowers. Investigators said the suspect was wearing soft body armor at the time of the crash, a factor officials described as escalating the seriousness of the threat.
Cross-country trip traced through plate readers
License plate recognition data and rental-car records show Maloney picked up the vehicle in New York on Feb. 12 and began a cross-country drive two days later, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Delzotto stated. The car traveled more than 2,500 miles before arriving in the Boulder City area, roughly 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, where the attempted attack occurred.
Family members in Albany had reported Maloney missing earlier in the week. According to investigators, he briefly contacted his relatives just before the crash and made statements indicating suicidal intent and a desire to carry out an act that would draw media attention. Digital messages reviewed by detectives contained references to dying violently and described an obligation to commit an extremist act, officials said.
Explosives and extremist literature found in hotel room
A search of the suspect’s hotel room yielded additional firearms as well as chemicals and components that can be used to fabricate improvised explosive devices. Recovered materials included thermite, ammonium nitrate, magnesium ribbon, metal pipes and gasoline. Sheriff McMahill said technicians rendered the items safe and removed them for forensic analysis.
Investigators also seized books and notes promoting a range of extremist ideologies spanning right-wing, left-wing, environmental, white supremacist and anti-government themes. Authorities emphasized that Maloney appeared to have acted alone, but agencies are reviewing electronic storage devices to determine whether he communicated with any organized group.
No interruption to regional power grid
Engineers inspected the substation shortly after the breach and confirmed that critical equipment remained intact. Power delivery to residential and commercial customers was unaffected, and security personnel restored the perimeter fence later in the day. Officials reiterated that, at this stage, they see no continuing danger to the surrounding community.
The case is being investigated jointly by the LVMPD, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Nevada Office of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security recently warned that critical infrastructure such as electrical substations may be attractive targets for individuals driven by personal grievances or extremist beliefs. (For broader context, the DHS National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin issued in November 2025 highlighted ongoing threats to energy facilities across the United States; a copy is available on the official DHS website.)
Imagem: Internet
Motive under investigation
While investigators have mapped Maloney’s travel route and recovered numerous written materials, they have not established a definitive motive. Forensic specialists are examining the suspect’s mobile phone, laptop and social-media accounts to reconstruct his recent activity and identify any online influences. Medical examiners will conduct toxicology tests as part of the autopsy, and psychological evaluators have been asked to review personal writings collected at the hotel.
Sheriff McMahill noted that Maloney possessed both firearms and potential bomb-making ingredients, but chose to crash his vehicle instead of employing the other weapons. Detectives are exploring whether the ramming was a spontaneous act after a plan involving explosives failed, or whether the suspect intended to generate a rapid police response resulting in his own death.
Increased security at regional utilities
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Nevada Energy have both increased patrols and surveillance at substations in the region. Utility officials are working with federal agencies to review access controls, camera coverage and physical-barrier designs to prevent similar breaches. Although the Boulder City facility is in Nevada, it is part of an interstate network that feeds electricity into the Southern California grid via high-capacity transmission lines.
Critical-infrastructure experts say vehicle ramming attacks remain a persistent concern because they require minimal planning and can be executed with readily available equipment. In recent years, several substations in different states have faced vandalism or armed assaults, prompting calls for improved fencing, reinforced gates and rapid-response protocols.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about Maloney’s activities or contacts in the days leading up to the incident to call the FBI tip line. Investigators are particularly interested in sightings of the gray rental sedan on Interstate 80, Interstate 70 and Interstate 15, routes that match the license-plate data collected during the suspect’s cross-country journey.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office will release a complete autopsy report once toxicology testing is complete. Officials have not provided an estimate for how long the broader counter-terrorism inquiry will last but said findings will be forwarded to federal prosecutors for potential case review even though the sole suspect is deceased.
Crédito da imagem: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
