Tragic Loss: LA County Sheriff’s Deputy Succumbs to Injuries from Mobile Range Explosion

Joe Nunez, the attorney for the Flores family, said that Alfredo “Freddy” Flores, a Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputy who was gravely injured by an explosion at a mobile range in October 2023 succumbed to his injuries and died on Saturday. The Department confirmed Flores’ death on Sunday, but as of this writing has not provided any further details.

We announce with deep sadness and heavy hearts the death of Alfredo “Freddy”, our beloved Alfredo Flores, who bravely fought to save his life following severe injuries he sustained in the course of duty. Nunez released a statement on Sunday stating that Freddy was a loving and amazing husband, father, and son.

“He dedicated his life to protecting and serving our community. He loved working for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.” Law enforcement officers, their families, and the public are well aware of the risks that come with this job. However, nothing could prepare us for the untimely death of Freddy due to injuries he sustained from equipment malfunctions during a training exercise. Freddy’s death is a terrible blow and we struggle to comprehend this tragedy. We thank the community for its support during this extremely difficult time.”

The mobile range that Deputy Flores was operating caught fire and exploded on October 10, 2023. Both Deputy Flores and another deputy sheriff were severely injured. The trailer was used inside the North County Correctional Facility, which is located at the Pitches Detention Center in Castaic. There was little information or detail about the circumstances of the explosion, both at the time and today. At the time, I confirmed with an official of the department that the trailer that caught fire and exploded had been removed from service several years earlier and replaced by a newer model and was meant to be scrapped. Due to budgetary issues resulting from the defunding of this department by the LA County Board of Supervisors, the range trailer had to be brought into service after the newer version was taken out of service for an electrical repair.

Under the condition of anonymity, I spoke to department personnel at the time. They described a tragic and preventable accident. Flores and the range operator were in the trailer when it exploded. According to the sources, Flores had been practicing for his qualification. Flores, the deputy, and the range operator were not able to get out of the trailer fast enough to avoid the raging flames.

According to an official of LASD, the responding deputies arrived at the detention center almost immediately following the fire and explosion, but they were unable to open the door because it opened into the trailer, not out. According to the official, when deputies opened the door, they discovered that the majority of the uniforms and undergarments had been completely burned off. The fire was still burning inside the trailer. The two deputies were severely burned and inhaled toxic chemicals from the fire and explosion. “The two deputies were trapped inside a tiny oven filled with toxic chemicals and searing heat, causing severe chemical burns to their lungs.”

Flores was also on the verge of retirement at the time. He had been with the Department for 22 years. Flores was seen in the hallway of the facility after the explosion with severe burns on his upper body, and still ablaze.

The failure of the filter system used to remove powder and residue left after firing was the most likely cause of the explosion. When handgun cartridges are fired, they tend to leave behind a small amount of unburnt powder. To prevent this, along with the lead and metallic residues from the ammunition the filtration system must be cleaned and maintained. Since the incident almost seven months ago, I have not received any updates from the public or additional information about the investigation into the cause. Flores’s death is another blow for a department that has been struggling under Sheriff Robert Luna’s lack of leadership over the last year and a quarter.

As of yet, no memorial services have been announced for Deputy Flores.