Las Vegas police investigate possible terrorism event after vehicle rammed into power substation

The driver of the vehicle was 23-year-old Dawson Maloney from Albany, New York, who was reported missing and is now dead, McMahill said.

The man had communicated with family before the crash, referencing self-harm, and said he was going to commit an act that would place him on the news. He referred to himself as a terrorist in a message sent to his mother, according to police.

Authorities found explosive materials and multiple books “related to extremist ideologies” in Maloney’s hotel room, McMahill said. The books included ones about right and left wing extremism, environmental extremism, white supremacism and anti-government ideology, he said.

Maloney was wearing what police described as “soft-body armor.” Two shotguns, an assault rifle-style pistol, and flame throwers were found in his rental car, McMahill said.

Authorities recovered a 3D printer and several gun components needed to assemble a firearm from an Albany residence.

Boulder City is a historic town located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Las Vegas and home to the Hoover Dam, which is considered one of the country’s modern civil engineering wonders. The dam provides water to millions of people and generates an average of 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power each year for Nevada, Arizona and California.

The power substation that was rammed is owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Boulder City Police Chief Timothy Shea said there is no evidence of major damage to critical infrastructure and no service disruptions.

A similar incident occurred in 2023 when a man rammed a car through a fence at a solar power facility in the desert northeast of Las Vegas, setting the car on fire. The solar power facility served Las Vegas Strip casinos. He was declared unfit for trial.