(Reuters) -An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department training facility on Friday killed three deputies, the department said.
The explosion took place at the Biscailuz Center Academy Training in East Los Angeles, the department said in a statement, without releasing more details.
The Los Angeles Times newspaper, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported that the blast took place when a bomb squad moved some explosives.
Hilda Solis, who serves on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement: “My heart goes out to the families, friends, and colleagues of the three individuals who lost their lives in what appears to have been a devastating explosion.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on social media that she had spoken with Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert 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.
(Reporting by Rich McKay, Brad Brooks, Maiya Keidan, Susan Heavey and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Frank McGurty, Nia Williams and Cynthia Osterman)
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