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Associated Press
7 days ago
- Associated Press
What to know about arson and explosives units after blast at training facility in Los Angeles
Three members of the arson and explosives unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department were killed Friday in a blast at the department's training facility. It was not immediately clear what they were doing when the explosion happened in a parking lot at the Biscailuz Training Facility or what caused it. However an early line of investigation is examining whether it may have been a training accident, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the matter who was not authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The detectives who died were part of a team that undergoes in-depth training and responds to more than 1,000 calls a year, according to the Sheriff Robert Luna. Here's what to know about law enforcement agencies' arson and explosives units: What do such units typically do? Depending on the agency, they can be responsible for everything from bomb disposal to search and prevention operations to arson investigations, according to Mark Lomax, former executive director of the National Tactical Officers Association and a retired major for the Pennsylvania State Police. In bomb disposal actions, team members might respond to a package or box that could contain an explosive device and then use tools like robots or X-ray devices to 'render it safe,' Lomax said. If there is an explosion, members could be sent to investigate, including working to determine the types of materials used to make the bomb, he said. They may also help with search and prevention at big events using bomb sniffing dogs and scanners. On the fire side of the unit, team members could be responsible for arson investigations, including determining the cause of a fire and whether it was natural or intentional, Lomax said. How common is it for a law enforcement agency to have a team like this? Whether or not an agency has such a unit would likely depend on the size of the department and its location. There are thousands of police departments in the U.S., and the majority of them are under 50 people, according to Lomax. Smaller departments might not have sufficient personnel, money or equipment to have their own explosives team. 'A lot of times, depending on location, they may use the county sheriff's department in certain locations or the state police in other locations,' Lomax said. The team from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department would likely be deployed to smaller cities in the county to help with such incidents as suspicious packages or even to educate the community about what to look out for. What type of training do team members typically undergo? A certified bomb technician would need to have a certification from the FBI, most likely from its Hazardous Devices School in Huntsville, Alabama, Lomax said. That training includes threat assessment and puts participants in 'true-to-life training settings,' according to a video on the FBI's website. For advanced training, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has a national center at the same location, according to Lomax. There is also regional training. 'It's very dangerous, and therefore it demands higher, more advanced training, more advanced equipment,' Lomax said. For arson investigations, officials may go to the National Fire Academy in Maryland or participate in fire investigations training through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to Lomax. There are also local academies that offer more basic arson investigation courses. The people on these teams likely were already officers, troopers or deputies and then later took the specialized training, Lomax said. How dangerous can training be for this type of unit? Explosives training involving actual explosive devices can be very dangerous because there can be many unknowns, according to Lomax. Everything from the amount of moisture in the air that day to how long the material has been on the shelf could impact an exercise. 'There's so many different variables that make that type of training extremely, extremely dangerous and hazardous,' Lomax said. He referenced a 2022 incident in which five bomb technicians were injured by the detonation of an explosive device during a training exercise in Pennsylvania conducted by the FBI's Philadelphia field office. And in 2021, there was a catastrophic explosion in Los Angeles as homemade fireworks were being destroyed by a bomb squad. It injured 17 people and damaged dozens of homes, businesses and vehicles. ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
3 LA County sheriff's deputies killed by explosion at training facility, the agency's largest loss of life since 1857
An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility killed three veteran members assigned to the agency's arson and explosives detail Friday morning – a tragedy that marks the 'largest loss of life' at the department since 1857, according to Sheriff Robert Luna. The explosion is believed to have been an accident. Federal and local investigators began working to determine what led to the explosion after the scene was rendered safe by the Los Angeles Police Department's bomb squad just after 11 a.m. local time, Luna said at a news conference. It's unclear whether the incident was related to a training session or whether officers were handling evidence, a senior law enforcement source familiar with the incident told CNN. The three sworn members had collectively served for 74 years and authorities are not releasing their names at this time, the sheriff said. Luna added he's met with several family members of the deputies, but some have not yet been notified. 'The individuals who work our arson explosives detail, they have years of training,' Luna said, adding the members respond to an average of 1,100 calls per year, which include 'dealing with some very dangerous situations or items.' 'These aren't people who don't do this very often. They are fantastic experts, and unfortunately, I lost three of them today,' the sheriff continued. The incident happened shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time at the Biscailuz Center Training Academy, which houses the sheriff's department's special enforcement units and bomb squad, according to a release from the LASD. The facility is located about 6 miles east of downtown LA. 'At this time, we do not know the cause of the explosion … I can tell you, there is no threat to this community. This is an isolated incident,' Luna said. US Attorney General Pam Bondi and the LASD said earlier Friday the three members died in a 'critical workplace incident.' 'I just spoke to (US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli) about what appears to be a horrific incident that killed at least three at a law enforcement training facility in Los Angeles,' Bondi said in a post on X. '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.' 'Sheriff's homicide detectives are on scene,' the LASD said. The FBI is responding to assist with the incident, according to the FBI's Los Angeles field office. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also on scene, according to Bondi. LASD homicide detectives are also on scene investigating the deaths, Luna said. Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigators and members of the Los Angeles Police Department's bomb squad are assisting at the training facility, LA Mayor Karen Bass said in a post on X. The work of the bomb squad was complicated by the fact officers had to ensure no other explosive material that could be stored there was vulnerable to detonation, the senior law enforcement source told CNN. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement: 'We stand in solidarity with our Sheriff's Department colleagues during this incredibly difficult time and we remain ready to assist in any way we can.' 'The LAPD bomb squad, SWAT and K-9 teams are actively responding to calls for service on behalf of our Sheriff's Department partners so they can focus fully on supporting their personnel and conducting this critical investigation,' McDonnell said. 'I am heartbroken to hear of the terrible tragedy that has unfolded today at an L.A. County Sheriff's Department facility,' Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said in a statement. '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,' Barger said. This story has been updated with additional information. Solve the daily Crossword
Al Jazeera
7 days ago
- Al Jazeera
Three killed in explosion at Los Angeles Sheriff's training facility
Three killed in explosion at Los Angeles Sheriff's training facility NewsFeed Three members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department were killed in an explosion at a training facility Friday morning. Sheriff Robert Luna said the incident was the department's largest loss of life since 1857. The cause is under investigation. Video Duration 01 minutes 46 seconds 01:46 Video Duration 02 minutes 33 seconds 02:33 Video Duration 02 minutes 43 seconds 02:43 Video Duration 01 minutes 10 seconds 01:10 Video Duration 01 minutes 57 seconds 01:57 Video Duration 00 minutes 31 seconds 00:31 Video Duration 01 minutes 05 seconds 01:05
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Three killed in explosion at LA sheriff's training center
Published: Updated: At least three Los Angeles Sheriff's deputies were killed in an explosion at a training center on Friday morning. Officials have not said what caused the explosion, which occurred at the LASD's Biscailuz Center Training Academy at around 7:30am local time. Sources told KTLA that all three deceased individuals were deputies. Their identities are not yet known, and it is not clear if there are any other injuries. Aerial footage from the outlet showed an LASD vehicle with a shattered rear windshield, and a backpack could be seen on the ground nearby. The blast occurred at a site that hosts the department's special enforcement bureau and the arson explosive detail, which includes bomb squads. Sources told the LA Times that a bomb squad was moving explosives when the blast occurred. Please pray for the families of the sheriff's deputies killed.' Bondi said in a follow-up statement that she had spoken with LA County Sheriff Robert Luna, and said she had deployed FBI and ATF agents to the scene. 'Please pray for the entire Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department,' Bondi said. An employee at the training center reportedly said that they initially believed the explosion was an earthquake due to its force. Barger said in a statement: 'I am heartbroken to hear of the terrible tragedy that has unfolded today at an L.A. County Sheriff's Department facility. '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.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
L.A. cops retract ‘offensive' social media post sympathetic to Iranians
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department apologized for a social media post expressing sympathy for Iranians impacted by U.S. and Israeli bomb strikes. The nation's largest Sheriff's department posted a message Sunday assuring residents that law enforcement was exercising vigilance following a U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear facilities late Saturday that risked putting community gathering spaces domestically at risk for reprisal. According to copies of that note preserved online, the original version also said: 'Our hearts go out to the victims and families impacted by the recent bombings in Iran.' It was quickly edited Sunday evening to cut out that part. An apology was issued later that night. 'We are issuing this statement to formally apologize for an offensive and inappropriate social media post recently posted on our Department social media platforms regarding the ongoing conflict in Iran,' the apology said. 'This post was unacceptable, made in error, and does not reflect the views of Sheriff Robert G. Luna or the Department.' The department's mea culpa statement confessed the original post 'fell short' of public official's expectations to keep communities accurately informed and promised to learn from 'this failure.' Officials also said an internal review was underway to find out how and why the statement was published. U.S. forces targeted three Iranian nuclear sites Saturday with what appeared to have been precision strikes meant to stop the Middle Eastern nation from developing a nuclear weapons program. The White House believes Operation Midnight Hammer was hugely successful. It followed an Israeli military campaign to defang Iran that began June 12. The U.S. and Israel have consistently stated the world would be less safe if Iran had atomic bombs. The Trump administration has said the operation wasn't intended to be an act of war against Iran.
