A state investigation has found that the deaths of three Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in a grenade explosion last year involved “willful” and serious safety violations in the department. California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) issued eight citations and imposed about $350,000 in fines in January, citing failures in training and leaving explosives unattended. The sheriff’s department is appealing the citations.
The July 2025 explosion at the Biscailuz Center Training Academy killed detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus, and William Osborn of the arson and explosives team. The incident was one of the department's worst losses of life in a single event.
The previous day, the team had recovered two grenades from a Santa Monica apartment complex. Sheriff Robert Luna stated that the detectives X-rayed the devices and believed they were “inert,” or inactive. At least one grenade was taken to the training facility, where it detonated. The whereabouts of the second grenade remain unknown.
Cal/OSHA’s investigation found that the department failed to provide effective training and left explosives unattended. The sheriff’s department maintains it is cooperating with the investigation but has appealed the findings, citing ongoing criminal investigations by the department and the ATF.
The explosion has raised questions about workplace safety protocols for law enforcement handling explosives. The sheriff’s department has not publicly commented on the specifics of the appeal.