Cops blew up a fellow officer after finding grenade in garage, falsely reporting it was inert then using it in a prohibited live explosive training exercise: Lawsuit – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: nvmwebsites-budwg5g9avh3epea.z03.azurefd.net)
Los Angeles County – Three sheriff’s deputies died in a single explosion on July 18, 2025, after two of them brought a hand grenade to a training facility where live explosives were prohibited. The device had been recovered the previous day from a Santa Monica parking garage. An older X-ray machine had led the deputies to conclude it contained no explosive material.
Recovery and Initial Handling
Deputies Joshua Kelley-Eklund and William Osborn responded to the garage scene in their regular work trucks rather than the bomb squad vehicle. They examined the two grenades with the outdated scanner and reported both as inert. One of the devices was later placed in a personal vehicle and taken home overnight.
The following morning the same deputy carried the grenade to the Biscailuz Center Training Academy. Live explosive devices were not permitted at the site. Deputy Victor Lemus, who had served roughly one year on the Arson and Explosives Unit, joined the pair for the scheduled exercise even though he had not yet completed the required training to work directly with live ordnance.
The Explosion and Its Immediate Aftermath
During the drill either Kelley-Eklund or Osborn pulled the pin on the grenade. The resulting blast killed all three men instantly. Lemus left behind his wife, Nancy, and their two young daughters, Victoria and Emily…