Latest news with #LosAngelesCountySheriff'sDepartment
NBC News
5 days ago
- NBC News
Grenade killed 3 Los Angeles sheriff's officials, but second grenade unaccounted for
LOS ANGELES — One of two grenades taken to a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department facility detonated last week and killed three detectives, but the second grenade remains unaccounted for, the sheriff said Friday. The sheriff's officials on the Special Enforcement Bureau's Arson Explosives Detail believed the two military-style grenades they seized from a Santa Monica storage unit on July 17 were inert, but one of them detonated the next day and killed the three men, officials said. A federal investigation has determined that the second grenade remains unaccounted for, Sheriff Robert Luna said. Investigators have used X-rays and searched vehicles and lockers at the East Los Angeles facility, as well as the blast site and facility perimeter, since the explosion, he said. 'We have looked at everything out there that we possibly could,' Luna said. He said the investigation into how the explosion happened was ongoing. 'Right now there's a second grenade, that we're not 100% sure where it's at,' Luna said. The explosion occurred around 7:30 a.m. July 18 at the sheriff's department Biscailuz Training Facility. Killed were detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn, who were all on the Special Enforcement Bureau's Arson Explosives Detail. The day before the explosion, the detail was called to help Santa Monica police after two grenades were found in a tenant storage unit in a building's underground parking garage, Luna said. The explosives detectives 'X-rayed the devices and believed that they were both inert,' Luna said. The devices were taken to the facility to be destroyed and rendered safe, he said. Officials do not believe the second grenade was lost en route from Santa Monica to the training center, Luna said. 'We believe with confidence that did not occur,' he said. Santa Monica is around 20 miles away from East Los Angeles. But if anyone sees what appears to be a grenade, explosive device, or even an unknown object, they are warned not to touch it, and to call 911. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will lead the investigation into the whereabouts of the second device, Luna said. The ATF has also sent its National Response Team to Los Angeles. 'I can tell you with clarity from our post-blast examination that we know one device exploded,' ATF Los Angeles Division Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper said. "And we have not recovered any evidence from a second device on that scene." Cooper said investigators, including using explosives-detecting dogs, drones, and cherry pickers to look in trees, have "meticulously examined the radius of over 400 feet from the blast seat, multiple times." "Over the abundance of caution, we searched a blast area far greater than the results of that explosive device," Cooper said. There has been changes in how the sheriff's department handles explosives, including treating all devices, even ones believed to be inert, as live, Luna said. Luna said he has called for a thorough after-action review department policies. "We're going to turn this upside down. We're going to look at everything." Luna said.
Observer
19-07-2025
- Observer
3 deputies killed in explosion at Los Angeles training center
Tim Arango The writer is a Los Angeles correspondent for the New York Times Shawn Hubler The writer is the Los Angeles bureau chief for The New York Times Three sheriff's deputies were killed in an explosion at a law enforcement training centre in Los Angeles, local and federal officials said. The deaths were the largest loss of life for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from a single episode since 1857, authorities said. It was not immediately clear what caused the blast, which occurred at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Biscailuz Training Academy centre in East Los Angeles. A state official familiar with the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the investigation, called the explosion a tragic accident that appeared to have stemmed from the handling of on-site explosives. There was no threat to the area, and the explosion was an isolated episode, said Sheriff Robert Luna. He added that the explosion at the training centre occurred around 7:30 am Pacific time. No one else was injured by the blast, he said. The sheriff's department identified the deputies as Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn. They were all assigned to the arson explosives unit, the department said in a statement. Kelley-Eklund joined the sheriff's department in 2006 and served as a training officer and in the narcotics bureau before becoming an arson and explosives investigator in 2022, according to the statement. Lemus joined the department in 2003 and served as a K-9 handler before becoming an arson and explosives investigator last year. Osborn began his career with the department in 1992 and had been with the arson and explosives detail since 2019. Members of that bomb squad unit regularly handle dangerous situations or items, with an average of about 1,110 calls per year, Luna said. 'They are fantastic experts,' he said, 'and unfortunately, I lost three of them today.' The three deputies had responded to a call in Santa Monica to assist police there with explosive devices that had been found, according to Nicole Nishida, a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff's Department said it was not clear if those devices were the ones responsible for Friday's explosion. But homicide investigators were seeking a search warrant for the Santa Monica location and had evacuated residents there, Nishida said. A Los Angeles County official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the investigation said the three deputies had been alone when the explosion occurred, leaving few witnesses to shed light on the cause. A bomb squad from the Los Angeles Police Department rendered the scene safe by late Friday morning, Luna said, allowing investigators to begin to gain access to the site. 'We have to go back, investigate what happened from the very beginning, and we'll get there,' he said. Firefighters and law enforcement officers take part in a procession as the remains of three sheriff's deputies killed on Friday are removed from the Biscailuz training center of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in East Los Angeles, on Friday, July 18, 2025. (Mark Abramson/The New York Times) Investigators with the FBI, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and detectives with the county sheriff's department were among those working at the site. Luna called the site of the explosion an 'active crime scene' and said homicide investigators were there. On Friday afternoon, a long procession of black-and-white sheriff's cruisers and officers on motorcycles snaked up and then down a hill on a street near the training center, escorting three medical examiner vans from the site that were believed to contain the remains of the fallen deputies. Residents waving American flags looked on. The training facility, named for Eugene Biscailuz, a long-serving sheriff who helped organise the California Highway Patrol and was its first superintendent, lies east of downtown Los Angeles. The site hosts, among other county offices, the sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau, a specialised unit that provides a range of tactical, rescue and counterterrorism support services throughout the county, including an explosives detail. Several people who live near the training centre said in interviews that they had not heard an explosion. Mandie Rios, who lives a couple of blocks from the centre, was still groggy with sleep on Friday morning when she heard what sounded to her like a moving truck's door being slammed shut. A little later, she turned on the television and heard the news of the blast. Friday's explosion came more than two years after a deadly episode at a training facility for the sheriff's department. In November 2022, 25 recruits at an academy near the city of Whittier were injured while on a run after a driver going the wrong way ran into them. One of the recruits later died from his injuries, and the driver was charged with vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving. The handling of explosives by police officers and sheriff's deputies in Los Angeles has led to problems in the past. In June 2021, 17 people were injured when part of a cache of illegal fireworks blew up in South Los Angeles in what was meant to be a controlled detonation by bomb squad technicians. Those technicians worked for the Los Angeles Police Department, not the county sheriff's department. Ten of the injured were law enforcement officers. The explosion also caused extensive damage to more than 20 homes and over a dozen businesses. The Los Angeles Police Department later said personnel had incorrectly estimated the weight of the fireworks, and the city last year agreed to pay more than $21 million to settle claims by residents.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Housing activist who 'reclaimed' state-owned home dies amid eviction protest
Benito Flores, who more than five years ago seized a state-owned home in El Sereno to protest against homelessness in Los Angeles, has died. A 70-year-old retired welder, Flores had been fighting to remain in the home. Last month, he and a group of supporters prevented Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies from evicting him from a small duplex on a narrow street in El Sereno. As part of the eviction defense, Flores constructed an elaborate tree house 28 feet high in an ash tree in the home's backyard, where he planned to retreat if police attempted to haul him out. In the six weeks since the failed eviction attempt, Flores continued to fortify the property, including building additional defenses in a second tree in the backyard. Supporters believe that Flores died after falling out of that tree. Read more: Elderly man builds tree house to protest eviction from state-owned home On Friday afternoon, a neighbor found him unresponsive on the ground near the tree with his safety harness broken, said Roberto Flores, who operates a private community center in El Sereno and helped organize the ongoing protests. "He's a martyr for human rights, for the decent right of housing for everyone," said Roberto Flores, who is not related to Benito. Benito Flores was the final holdout in a protest that captured nationwide interest when it began in March 2020. Flores and a dozen others occupied empty homes owned by the California Department of Transportation, which the agency acquired by the hundreds a half-century ago for a freeway expansion that never happened. Read more: Another group of homeless moms and families are taking over a house — this time in L.A. The activists, who call themselves "Reclaiming Our Homes," argued that the true crime wasn't breaking into empty houses, but rather that publicly owned homes were left vacant while tens of thousands of people lived on the streets of Los Angeles. Backed by a wave of public support, the dozen "Reclaimers" were allowed to stay legally in Caltrans-owned homes for two years through a temporary lease agreement managed by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. When that expired in late 2022, Flores and many Reclaimers attempted to remain in the properties, saying the alternatives offered by the housing authority were insufficient to keep them permanently housed. But as eviction threats mounted, some of the protesters began accepting settlements to leave and others were evicted. Flores continued the fight. He told The Times on the eve of the June eviction attempt that he wanted to make a statement about political leaders failing to provide housing for all who need it. Flores suffered from diabetes and said if he was removed he would have had no other option except to sleep in his van — where he lived for 14 years before the home seizure. Read more: 'I'm going to resist': Protesters who seized state-owned homes five years ago prepare for eviction battle 'Who is supposed to give permanent housing to elders, disabled and families with children?" Flores told The Times last month. "It is the city and the state. And they are evicting me.' About 50 mourners gathered at Flores' home Friday night for a vigil and ceremony honoring his life and activism. His body, covered with a white sheet, remained in the backyard and supporters placed flowers on it after paying their respects. The official cause of death remains under investigation. Personnel from the L.A. County Medical Examiner arrived at the property Friday evening to remove the body and begin their examination. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
19-07-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Housing activist who ‘reclaimed' state-owned home dies amid eviction protest
Benito Flores, who more than five years ago seized a state-owned home in El Sereno to protest against homelessness in Los Angeles, has died. A 70-year-old retired welder, Flores had been fighting to remain in the home. Last month, he and a group of supporters prevented Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies from evicting him from a small duplex on a narrow street in El Sereno. As part of the eviction defense, Flores constructed an elaborate tree house 28 feet high in an ash tree in the home's backyard, where he planned to retreat if police attempted to haul him out. In the six weeks since the failed eviction attempt, Flores continued to fortify the property, including building additional defenses in a second tree in the backyard. Supporters believe that Flores died after falling out of that tree. On Friday afternoon, a neighbor found him unresponsive on the ground near the tree with his safety harness broken, said Roberto Flores, who operates a private community center in El Sereno and helped organize the ongoing protests. 'He's a martyr for human rights, for the decent right of housing for everyone,' said Roberto Flores, who is not related to Benito. Benito Flores was the final holdout in a protest that captured nationwide interest when it began in March 2020. Flores and a dozen others occupied empty homes owned by the California Department of Transportation, which the agency acquired by the hundreds a half-century ago for a freeway expansion that never happened. The activists, who call themselves 'Reclaiming Our Homes,' argued that the true crime wasn't breaking into empty houses, but rather that publicly owned homes were left vacant while tens of thousands of people lived on the streets of Los Angeles. Backed by a wave of public support, the dozen 'Reclaimers' were allowed to stay legally in Caltrans-owned homes for two years through a temporary lease agreement managed by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. When that expired in late 2022, Flores and many Reclaimers attempted to remain in the properties, saying the alternatives offered by the housing authority were insufficient to keep them permanently housed. But as eviction threats mounted, some of the protesters began accepting settlements to leave and others were evicted. Flores continued the fight. He told The Times on the eve of the June eviction attempt that he wanted to make a statement about political leaders failing to provide housing for all who need it. Flores suffered from diabetes and said if he was removed he would have had no other option except to sleep in his van — where he lived for 14 years before the home seizure. 'Who is supposed to give permanent housing to elders, disabled and families with children?' Flores told The Times last month. 'It is the city and the state. And they are evicting me.' About 50 mourners gathered at Flores' home Friday night for a vigil and ceremony honoring his life and activism. His body, covered with a white sheet, remained in the backyard and supporters placed flowers on it after paying their respects. The official cause of death remains under investigation. Personnel from the L.A. County Medical Examiner arrived at the property Friday evening to remove the body and begin their examination.
Sky News AU
18-07-2025
- Sky News AU
Tragedy strikes LA Sheriff's facility as blast claims lives of three officers with FBI and bomb squad joining investigation
An investigation is underway after a deadly explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department facility claimed the lives of three staff members early Friday morning, local time (Saturday morning AEST). The blast was reported just after 7.30am at the Biscailuz Training Facility, located less than 10 kilometres from downtown Los Angeles. The site serves as a base for the department's elite enforcement teams and bomb disposal units. Department spokesperson Nicole Nishida confirmed the tragic loss of life, saying three members of the force had been killed. The precise cause of the explosion remains unclear, though early indications suggest it was accidental. Officials are yet to confirm whether it occurred during a scheduled training exercise or while handling potential evidence. California's top officials expressed shock at the incident, which prompted a swift response from local, state and federal agencies. In a post on X, former attorney general Pam Bondi called the explosion a 'horrific incident". 'Please pray for the families of the sheriff's deputies killed," she said. She said federal agents are already on-site gathering information. California Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed, and his emergency services office is coordinating closely with the Sheriff's Department. The FBI's Los Angeles division confirmed it is assisting with the investigation and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are also at the scene. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on X that fire department arson experts and LAPD bomb squad members are also supporting the investigation. Authorities remain cautious, given the possibility that more explosive materials could still be stored at the site. A law enforcement source told CNN the bomb squad's task has been made more complex by the need to ensure no secondary devices or volatile materials remain at risk of detonation. Kathryn Barger, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, said the tragedy had rocked the department. 'I am heartbroken to hear of the terrible tragedy that has unfolded today at an LA County Sheriff's Department facility,' she said. 'I am closely tracking the situation as we learn more about what occurred and the condition of those affected. My heart is heavy, and my thoughts are with the brave men and women of the Sheriff's Department during this difficult time. We stand with them and their families as they navigate the hours and days ahead.' Aerial footage from local outlet KABC-TV showed the blast zone was concentrated in a car park filled with sheriffs' vehicles and box trucks. Emergency crews cordoned off the area as investigators began their initial sweep. Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
