A grenade that was recovered in Santa Monica, linked to the deadly explosion that killed three deputies, remains unaccounted for, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
In a news conference on Friday, Luna and the ATF said they are actively searching for an explosive device that is missing from the East LA training facility. The device is one of two that were recovered from an underground storage unit after being reported to Santa Monica police by a renter.
“Based on the ATF expertise and the combination of physical evidence and debris recovered at the scene, they have determined that one of the two grenades taken into custody detonated on Friday, and one of the grenades is unaccounted for at this time,” said Luna. “Out of an abundance of caution, an extensive search of the entire training facility perimeter was conducted.”
The ATF believes the three investigators, members of the bomb squad, were examining a pair of hand grenades when one of the grenades exploded. The grenades were believed to be inert when they were recovered.
Exactly why it detonated and what the deputies were doing at the time is still unclear.
After a thorough search of the facility, vehicles and the surrounding area, authorities determined the device to be missing.
The ATF, which is leading the investigation into the explosion, will now also be taking full control of the investigation into the whereabouts of the second grenade, according to Luna.
ATF Special Agent Kenny Cooper described the device as a “military-style grenade.” Sheriff Luna issued a warning to the public not to pick up the device if found and to call authorities instead.
Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn, members of the agency’s arson and explosives unit, died last week at a department training center. They had been assisting local police after the discovery on July 17 of grenades at an apartment in Santa Monica.
The law enforcement veterans served a combined 74 years with the department.
The investigation into what led to the deadly blast included a search for evidence at storage units in Marina Del Rey. Members of several law enforcement agencies were at the property Tuesday in the 4200 block of Via Marina.
Using robots, authorities searched the property for hours. A drone and K9 team also were at the scene.
It was not immediately clear whether evidence related to the investigation was found at the storage center.
On Monday, law enforcement agents served a search warrant in the 13900 block of Marquesas Way in Marina del Rey, searching a boat docked in the marina.
The blast occurred in a parking lot one week ago at the Biscailuz Regional Training Center in the 1000 block of North Eastern Avenue, southwest of the interchange of the 10 and 710 freeways. It is suspected ordnance collected a day earlier from a Santa Monica apartment building storage bin exploded during transport.
The sheriff said the arson and explosives team undergoes in-depth training and responds to more than 1,000 calls a year.