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() An explosion at a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department training center killed three people Friday morning.
The names of those killed, who were Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies, have not been released pending notification of the families.
Sheriff Robert Luna said the deputies were assigned to the arson-explosive detail and had a collective 74 years of experience between them. It is the department’s largest loss of life since 1857.
The deaths are being investigated with assistance from the FBI. The scene was not rendered safe until moments before authorities began a briefing, hours after the explosion.
The explosion is an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community, Luna said. He was not able to provide details on the explosion, saying it would take time to determine what happened.
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Emergency responders arrive after an explosion at a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department training facility. (KTLA) -
The LAPD bomb squad arrived at the scene of an explosion at a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department training facility. (KTLA) -
An explosion was reported Friday morning at a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department training facility. (KTLA)
Sources told a KTLA reporter that the explosion came as deputies were moving an unexploded ordnance they picked up on a call. The source said live explosives are not used for training. The LASD has not confirmed the cause.
The Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad was part of the response. The LAPD covers the city of Los Angeles, while the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is available to municipalites in Los Angeles County that do not want to staff their own plice department.
The FBI was en route to the scene Friday morning, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom had been briefed on the incident.
“The thoughts of all Angelenos are with all of those impacted by this blast,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her agency is working with state and federal authorities to respond to the explosion.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she had spoken to the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.
“Our federal agents are at the scene and we are working to learn more. Please pray for the families of the sheriff’s deputies killed,” she said on social media.
Former FBI agent Dennis Frank told he knows of trainees losing fingers in explosives training, which could be one potential cause for the blast.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
