Authorities are searching for a missing “military-style” grenade linked to an explosion that killed three Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies last week.
On July 17, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Arson and Explosives Detail responded to an apartment complex in Santa Monica, after a resident reported finding “two grenade-like devices” in a storage unit in an underground garage, KTLA reported.
Neighbors said they believe the devices were likely left behind by a former tenant, a member of the military who’d moved out of the apartment complex roughly five years ago.
Following an investigation into the matter, which included X-ray scans, authorities determined the grenades were “inert.” They were then transported to the department’s explosives training facility in East Los Angeles to be destroyed.
The next day, however, one of the grenades exploded, killing detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn. And while authorities believe the second explosive device did reach the facility, its whereabouts are currently unknown.
In response, authorities have blocked access to roads around the Biscailuz Regional Training Center amid their search. So far, they’ve scoured lockers, vehicles, gyms, office spaces and the surrounding area.
“The fact is, right now, there’s a second grenade that we’re not 100% sure where it’s at,” L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters during a Friday night briefing.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is now leading the search for the missing explosive. Kenny Cooper, ATF’s special agent in charge for the L.A. field division, said officials have “meticulously examined” a radius of 400 feet from the blast site over the last few days. He added that authorities have also conducted multiple interviews in addition to serving several search warrants.
Anyone with information on the matter has been asked to call 911 or the sheriff’s department.
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