Flags Lowered Countywide Following Fatal Sheriff’s Training Center Explosion

All Los Angeles County government buildings will fly flags at half-staff in honor of three veteran sheriff’s deputies killed Friday morning in a blast at the Biscailuz Regional Training Center in East Los Angeles.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger, who represents Pasadena, ordered the immediate flag-lowering as a solemn tribute to the deputies. “This is a heartbreaking day for our County family,” Barger said. “We will never forget their dedication to keeping our communities safe.”

The explosion, described by Sheriff Robert Luna as the deadliest day for the department since its founding in 1857, occurred at approximately 7:25 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Eastern Avenue, just south of the 10/710 freeway interchange. All three deputies served in the department’s Special Enforcement Bureau, Arson/Explosives Detail. Their names have not been released pending notification of next of kin, though Luna said they had 19, 22, and 33 years of service respectively.

At a news conference near the facility, Luna called the blast an “isolated incident” with no ongoing threat to the public, and confirmed that the scene was declared safe by late morning. He declined to speculate on reports that the explosion may have involved seized unexploded ordnance.

“There is definitely a black cloud hanging over the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department and our county family,” Luna said. “We want to make sure we know what happened. We don’t want a repeat of this.”

Supervisor Barger added that the Board of Supervisors will formally honor the deputies at its meeting Tuesday and reaffirm its commitment to supporting their families. “Our County stands united with LASD during this difficult time,” she said.

The blast remains under investigation.