The explosion at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department training facility was the most fatal event in law enforcement history after killing three experienced deputies, Sheriff Robert Luna said Friday.
Looks gloomy and emotional, Luna said the murdered deputy assigned to the details of the arson explosive served LA County for 74 years, one of which had been in the department for 33 years.
“Unfortunately, this is our biggest loss of life, as the LA County Sheriff’s Office since 1857,” Luna said.
The sheriff did not release the names of the murdered deputies as their parents were still notified of the tragedy.
Luna said she had no idea what caused the explosion, but she vowed to reveal what led to the incident.
“Our intention is to look at this from the start and get a sense of what exactly caused this tragic event,” the sheriff said his murder detective is working with the FBI, ATF and LAPD.
The three murdered agents were part of an elite team in the division called the Special Enforcement Bureau.
“They are the best and the best. Individuals who solve the details of arson explosives have been trained for years,” Luna explained.
Law enforcement sources also told NBC Los Angeles that the agent was moving a small “military style explosive” during the explosion. They didn’t think they were tasked with dangerous assignments, the source added.
Katherine Berger, the LA County superintendent who stood behind Luna at a press conference, also told NBC Los Angeles that the cause of the explosion must be shared with staff and the public to prevent future events.
“We need to tell the facts there,” Burger said over the phone while attending NBCLA’s live coverage. “Accidents still happen, but it’s important to know what happened.”
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