As many Los Angeles residents and other WLA readers already know, three members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, who are also members of the LASD’s Arson/Explosives Detail were killed early Friday morning in an explosion at the department’s well-known Biscailuz Training Facility located in East Los Angeles.
We’ll have more about this devastating story and other important stories over the weekend.
In the meantime, Sheriff Luna has declined to identify those who died until all family members can be notified. But Luna described them as “heroes” and “the best of the best.” The combination of the employees had served in the department for 74 years, according to the sheriff.
Luna said the catastrophe marked LASD’s worst loss of life in a single incident since 1857.
Several news sources reported that it appears the explosive that detonated had been brought back to the facility from a seemingly routine bomb squad callout and it was believed to have been inert when it exploded.
Mayor Karen Bass posted on X today that the City of L.A. is supporting the @LASDHQ through this horrific incident in Monterey Park. She noted that LAFD/ATF arson investigators and members of the LAPD bomb squad are assisting at the training facility.
“The thoughts of all Angelenos are with all of those impacted by this blast,” Bass wrote.
More soon. But, in the meantime, LA County’s heart is broken by these shattering events.