An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility has killed at least three people
Sheriff Robert Luna says there is a "black cloud" hanging over his department following the incident
The three people killed in the blast were part of the "arson explosive detail", according to Luna
He says he does not yet have any information about what caused the blast, but says there is no danger to the community
The incident occurred at the Biscailuz Center Academy Training in East Los Angeles
Arson investigators and bomb squad are at the scene, LA Mayor Karen Bass says
Aerial footage of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility
Local media are now asking Luna a number of questions about what happened. He repeats several times that the investigation is ongoing and that he does not yet have the answers.
He reiterates that the scene has only been made safe in the past 30 minutes and that it is going to take some time to determine what happened.
With that, the press conference concludes.
Luna is emotional as he describes meeting with the families of two of the three officers killed in the blast.
"You can imagine those were extremely challenging conversations," he says as his voice broke.
Sheriff Luna says that "there's a lot more that we don't know than ... we do know."
He says there are homicide detectives on scene, as well as agents from the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
He says the LAPD helped "render the area safe" just minutes before the press briefing.
There is no threat to the local community, Luna says.
Luna is giving a bit more detail about the three people killed in the explosion. He says that between them, the deputies had served for 74 years cumulatively - for 19, 22 and 33 years respectively.
He adds that their identities are not being released yet because not all of their family members have been told about their deaths.
Image source, ReutersSheriff Robert Luna begins by saying there's a "black cloud" hanging over the LA County Sheriff Department in the wake of the explosion.
He confirms the blast happened just after 07:30 local time at the special enforcement bureau, located in 1000 block of Northeastern Avenue in East Los Angeles.
Luna says that three members assigned to the department's "arson explosive detail" died in the explosion.
He adds that this is the "largest loss of life" for the LA County Sheriff Department since 1857.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna is giving an update about the explosion earlier today.
You can follow along with the news conference by pressing watch live at the top of this page.
The Los Angeles Times has been speaking to locals who were drawn to the cordon that has been put up around the training facility by the sound of this morning's explosion.
Delia Sanchez, lives nearby and walks the normally quiet streets most mornings but they were buzzing with activity on Friday morning.
“It’s peaceful here. I feel safe with them here,” she says, referring to the training facility. “I am shocked to hear that somebody was hurt.”
Luisa Lopez works at a sheet metal fabrication facility and said their machines had obscured the sound of the blast.
She initially didn't think anything of the authorities racing past because, as she puts it, "they pass all the time".
Law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation have told CBS, the BBC's US news partner, that the explosion was possibly triggered by explosive materials recovered yesterday.
The unnamed officials told CBS those materials do not appear to be an improvised explosive device. They also say that the blast did not appear to be training programme accident.
As a reminder, the incident occurred at Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility training centre in East Los Angeles.
We can now bring you a statement from Hilda Solis, the Los Angeles county supervisor representing the city's First District, which covers East Los Angeles where the blast occurred.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred this morning," Solis says in a Facebook post. "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."
Solis, who was the US Secretary of Labour during President Barack Obama's first term, says she is in touch with the sheriff and closely monitoring events.
"My thoughts are with all those grieving and the first responders who are on the scene," her statement adds.
Will Grant
Reporting from LA
The explosion took place at the LA County Sherriff Department’s "Eugene Biscailuz" training centre, located in East Los Angeles, at around 07:30 local time (15:30 BST).
The exact cause of the blast is still being established – but there is increasing speculation that members of the bomb squad, which are based at the site, were handling explosives and possibly moving ordinance from one place to another when the incident occurred.
However, there has been no official confirmation so far as the authorities continue to investigate.
One person was injured and taken to hospital. The site has been cordoned off and the affected area covered by a tarpaulin.
For her part, the US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, posted on X that what she called a “horrific incident” had taken place. The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, said his office was in contact with the sheriff’s department “and closely monitoring the situation”.
Image source, Los Angeles Times / Getty ImagesThe chairwoman of the LA County Board of Supervisors says she is "heartbroken to hear of the terrible tragedy that has unfolded today".
"I am closely tracking the situation as we learn more about what occurred and the condition of those affected," Kathryn Barger adds.
She says that her "heart is heavy" and adds that her "thoughts are with the brave men and women of the Sheriff's Department during this difficult time.
"I stand with them and their families as they navigate the hours and days ahead."
Today's explosion in East Los Angeles occurred while a team was moving an "unexploded ordnance", US media reports.
The Los Angeles Times and KTLA say that deputies "were moving unexploded ordinance" before it detonated, while Fox News reports that the explosives were recovered Thursday night local time.
The immediate area around the scene has been evacuated, the LA Times adds, and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) are on scene to handle any other explosives on site.
As we've been reporting, an explosion was reported at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility at approximately 07:30 local time (15:30 BST).
According to the US attorney general, at least three people were killed in the incident.
Here's some of the latest video footage from the scene:
Image source, ReutersThe US Department of Homeland Security is working with state and federal law enforcement to respond to the explosion, the department's secretary says.
Kristi Noem adds that "updates will be provided as they become available".
"Pray for our law enforcement and their loved ones," she says in a post on X., external
Image source, Getty ImagesCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the explosion in East Los Angeles, his office says.
A statement says Newsom's office of emergency services is "in contact with the Sheriff's department and closely monitoring the situation".
It adds that emergency officials "will provide updates as more information becomes available".
Details on what exactly has happened at the training centre are still unclear, but we have these first pictures from the scene to share with you.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, AFP
Image source, AFP
Image source, Getty ImagesIt's a fast-developing story coming out of Los Angeles right now, so here's a quick picture of the information we have so far:
What we know:
What we don't know:
Image source, EPAKaren Bass, pictured earlier this month, says today's explosion was a "horrific incident"
The Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass says the arson investigators and members of the Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad are "assisting at the training facility" where today's explosion took place.
She calls it a "horrific incident" and says the "thoughts of all Angelenos are with all those impacted by this blast".
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has confirmed that an explosion occurred at the Biscailuz Center Academy Training in East Los Angeles, but has said they were not yet ready to confirm any deaths or injuries.
The cause of the blast is under investigation, the spokesperson adds.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe've heard a little more from US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who says that FBI agents are "on the ground to support" near where the explosion took place.
After getting in touch with the US Attorney for California, Bondi says she has also spoken to the Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
We’ve received news within the last few minutes that an explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility has reportedly killed at least three people.
The explosion was reported around 07:30 local time (15:30 BST).
US Attorney General Pam Bondi says federal agents are responding to the scene.
"Our federal agents are at the scene and we are working to learn more. Please pray for the families of the sheriff's deputies killed,” she writes on X.
This is a breaking news story - stay with us here as we bring you the latest.