The Nevada power substation terrorism incident is under investigation after a 23-year-old man allegedly drove a vehicle containing explosives into a secured facility, authorities said.
Police identified the suspect as Dawson Maloney, 23, of Albany, New York. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), the incident occurred on Thursday, Feb. 19, at a Department of Water and Power substation in Boulder City.
Officers responded to a 911 call reporting that a vehicle had crashed through a secured gate. The caller also reported hearing gunshots from inside the car.
When authorities arrived, they found a deceased man in a silver Nissan Sentra. Police said he was wearing soft body armour and later determined he died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A driver is dead after he rammed a vehicle through the gate of a power substation in Boulder City, Nevada, in what authorities are investigating as a terrorism-related event, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
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— CNN (@CNN) February 21, 2026Nevada Power Substation Investigation Details
Investigators discovered two additional shotguns, an AR-style pistol, loaded magazines and ammunition inside the vehicle. They also recovered two thermite-based incendiary devices and other materials.
Out of caution, LVMPD treated the case as terrorism-related due to the location and items found. Officials confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Authorities said Maloney had been reported missing in New York recently. License plate reader data showed he travelled from New York to Nevada in a rental car.
Before the incident, he allegedly told family members he intended to carry out an act that would get him “on the news.” During a press conference, LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill said Maloney referred to himself as his mother’s “dead terrorist son” in a message sent prior to his death.
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Investigators also reported finding books related to extremist ideologies in a Nevada hotel room where he had been staying. Some materials reportedly referenced white supremacy and anti-government views.
The FBI is assisting with the ongoing investigation. Authorities have not released further updates.
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