Three LA County Sheriff’s Deputies Killed in Training Facility Explosion

MONTEREY PARK, LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is mourning the loss of three veteran deputies who died in a devastating explosion at a law enforcement training facility on Friday.

The tragic incident occurred at the Biscailuz Training Center in Monterey Park and marks the deadliest day for the department since 1857, according to Sheriff Robert Luna.

Reports are that the three deputies, all assigned to the arson explosives detail, were conducting operations at the facility when the explosion happened. Sheriff Luna described them as seasoned experts with 19, 22, and 33 years of service, respectively.

“These are not people who did this occasionally — they were fantastic experts,” Luna said during an emotional press conference. “Unfortunately, I lost three of them today.”

No other injuries were reported, and the scene has since been rendered safe by the bomb squad. Investigators say the cause of the explosion remains unknown but confirmed there is no threat to the surrounding community.

The sheriff shared that he has already spoken to two of the victims’ families, calling those conversations “extremely challenging.”

“This is an extraordinarily painful day for our Sheriff’s Department and for LA County,” said County Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We must get to the bottom of what went wrong and ensure it never happens again.”

Arson investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Los Angeles Fire Department, the FBI, and other agencies are working jointly on the investigation.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Attorney General Pamela Bondi also expressed their condolences, with Bondi urging the public to “please pray for the entire Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.”