L.A. residents hold memorial to remember three deputies killed in explosion at LASD training facility
LOS ANGELES (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Investigators are still working to learn what caused Friday's deadly explosion which took the lives of three deputies.
Meanwhile, there is a growing memorial at an east la training facility to honor the fallen.
A somber scene at a growing memorial for three fallen Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn.
Deputies gathered to honor their colleagues.
"It's just a rough time for everybody right now. Just hard. Just trying to take it in. It's unbelievable what happened to him," said a deputy.
Community members brought flowers and candles.
"To lose three deputies in one day that's really really hard so we just want them to know that the community is here to support them," said Patricia Castro, a resident.
"I'm here to support all law enforcement. My son is one of them, so whenever we hear something like this we always try to get to the place of the memorial to place flowers," said Carl Phan, father of an LAPD officer.
Authorities say the deadly blast happened as the detectives, all part of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department's (LASD) Elite Arson Explosives Detail, were moving undetonated explosives recovered in the days before.
Investigators, retracing the deceased deputies steps, found one deputy had responded to an apartment complex in Santa Monica Thursday.
According to Santa Monica police, deputies removed two inert hand grenades located in a storage unit at an apartment complex.
Police say the team secured the explosives and left.
Michael Kellman lives in the apartment complex and was there when this was all happening.
"It's a little bit surreal, but I'm grateful that the men and women of our police force, and especially that the bomb squad were here to do their job," Kellman shared.
Sources say sheriffs deputies and ATF agents are also looking into other locations where suspicious devices may have been recovered in recent days, including one in Lakewood.
So far, it's unclear if the items recovered in Santa Monica, or any of the other bomb squad calls are connected to Friday's explosion which claimed the lives of the three detectives.
Back at the memorial, people from across L.A. and neighboring counties continue to stop by. Some praying, others leaving flowers.
"They take care of the community, make sure we're safe, you know, from all the bad people," Phan expressed.
"For the families, we're just praying to give them strength, and know that their loved ones are now in a better place and they're not suffering," Castro added.
Together, the three men served 74 years with the department. They leave behind 16 children and families now facing an unthinkable loss.
