An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department training facility on Friday killed three deputies, the sheriff said.
The explosion took place at the Biscailuz Center Academy Training in East Los Angeles, Sheriff Robert Luna said at a press conference. Luna declined to disclose details but said the area where the explosion occurred had just been deemed safe for investigators to enter.
The Los Angeles Times newspaper, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported that the blast took place when a bomb squad moved some explosives.
Luna would not confirm that at the news conference.
The names of the victims had not been released, but Luna said they were all veterans with a combined 74 years of experience.
“This is, unfortunately, the largest loss of life for us as the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, since 1857,” Luna said.
The sheriff said that determining the cause of the explosion could take several days or weeks but vowed a full investigation.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on social media that she had spoken with Luna along with U.S. 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 that federal agents were at the scene and working to learn more.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said on social media that the state sent investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal to assist with the investigation.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said that Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigators, along with members of the police department’s bomb squad, were helping in the investigation.
