Three deputies killed in blast at sheriff's facility in East Los Angeles

Three Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were killed Friday in an explosion at a training facility in East Los Angeles, a tragedy Sheriff Robert Luna called his agency’s deadliest day in more than 150 years.

The blast was reported at 7:25 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Eastern Avenue, southwest of the interchange of the San Bernardino (10) and Long Beach (710) freeways, according to the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

“Tragically, there were three department member fatalities. Sheriff’s homicide detectives are on scene,” an L.A. County Sheriff’s Department statement read. “The FBI LA, ATF are assisting LASD. This is still an active scene and further details will be forthcoming.”

“There is definitely a black cloud hanging over the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department and our county family,” Luna said during a midday news conference near the facility.

The sheriff assured the community the blast was an “isolated incident” and there was no lingering threat to the community. Luna said the site where the blast occurred was not rendered safe by investigators until late morning.

“We don’t know the cause of the explosion, however, the specific area has been closed off,” Luna said.

The sheriff would not confirm reports suggesting that the explosion involved unexploded ordnance that had been seized on Thursday. Various reports indicated the materials may have been found in Santa Monica and collected by sheriff’s bomb squad personnel.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to a report of the possible explosion at 7:27 a.m. The blast occurred at the Biscailuz Regional Training Center, which serves the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau’s Arson/Explosives Detail.

Luna said the deputies who died were all part of the Arson/Explosives detail and were long-time veterans of the department. One had 19 years of experience, another 22 years and the final deputy, 33 years. Their names were withheld pending family notifications.

Despite initial reports to the contrary, Luna said no one else was injured.

A neighbor told reporters at the scene that the blast was loud enough to wake him up.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors chair Kathryn Barger directed that county flags be flown at half-staff in honor of the fallen deputies.

A law enforcement procession was planned for late Friday afternoon to transfer the deputies’ bodies from the training center to the medical examiner’s office.

Luna called Friday’s blast “the largest loss of life for us as the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department since 1857.”

That was when Sheriff James Barton and several members of his posse, including three deputies, were ambushed in present-day Santa Ana by criminals they were pursuing. Barton died just three weeks into his second term, according to a sheriff’s department online historical timeline.

Friday’s tragedy is believed to be the worst involving an L.A.-area law-enforcement bomb squad since a February 1986 explosion on Vanscoy Avenue in North Hollywood that killed two.

That blast took the lives of the head of the LAPD bomb squad and another veteran squad member who were attempting to defuse a booby-trapped pipe bomb in the garage of a home where, several hours earlier, a suspect had been removed in connection with an ambush shooting.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was among the first federal officials to comment, saying on X that she had spoken with both Luna and U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. She also confirmed that the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting with the investigation.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said he’s been briefed on the blast, and that the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is in contact with the sheriff’s department and closely monitoring the situation, offering “full state assistance.”

Newsom’s office also announced the state has deployed investigative personnel from the Office of the State Fire Marshal at the request of the ATF.

Sen. Adam Schiff called the incident “an unbelievable tragedy” and added that he is “praying for the deputies’ families and every member of the sheriff’s office.”

Los Angeles-area U.S. Rep. Judy Chu said on X that she was “heartbroken by the tragic news of the explosion … that claimed the lives of three brave deputies.”

Los Angeles County Supervisors Hilda L. Solis, Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn all expressed sorrow and support following the explosion. Solis said she was deeply saddened by the loss and is in contact with Luna. Hahn called the deadly explosion “an extraordinarily painful day.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said the city was supporting the investigation with LAFD arson investigators and LAPD bomb squad personnel.

“The thoughts of all Angelenos are with all of these impacted by this blast,” the Mayor said on X.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department posted its condolences on X, accompanied by an image of three sheriffs’ badges draped in black mourning ribbons.

Updated at 5:05 p.m. July 18, 2025

Source – Indonesia News