Bomb squad initially thought grenades that killed 3 L.A. deputies were inert, search warrant says

Los Angeles Times ^ | July 23, 2025 3:05 PM PT | Richard Winton, Hannah Fry and Christopher Buchanan

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Bomb squad technicians who responded to a Santa Monica townhome complex where a resident reported finding grenades X-rayed the explosives and told city police they believed the devices were inert, according to a new search warrant in the investigation into the explosion that killed three Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives last week.

The bomb squad retrieved two hand grenades left behind — apparently by a previous tenant — in an underground parking garage storage unit at the Bay Street complex on Thursday night and took them to the Biscailuz Center Training Academy. The next day, at least one of the grenades exploded as the technicians were handling them in the parking lot.

The blast was the single deadliest incident for the department in more than 150 years, killing department veterans Dets. Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn.Bomb squad technicians who responded to a Santa Monica townhome complex where a resident reported finding grenades X-rayed the explosives and told city police they believed the devices were inert, according to a new search warrant in the investigation into the explosion that killed three Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives last week.

The bomb squad retrieved two hand grenades left behind — apparently by a previous tenant — in an underground parking garage storage unit at the Bay Street complex on Thursday night and took them to the Biscailuz Center Training Academy. The next day, at least one of the grenades exploded as the technicians were handling them in the parking lot.

The blast was the single deadliest incident for the department in more than 150 years, killing department veterans Dets. Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn.

Investigators with the sheriff’s department’s homicide bureau and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are still trying to determine exactly how...

[Deaf Smith]

“were handling them in the parking lot”

Nothing consistent in the few days of media reporting.

Did the blast happen in the parking lot or in the shop while they were sawing away with a bandsaw?

[LukeL]

Why not just use a grenade that has the bottom drilled out like most practice grenades? You could even keep the striker and priming mechanism and have it attached to a small flash bang to add some realism.

[DCBryan1]

With MFG markings, they could have simply weighed them to see if they were the real deal. Big difference in weight from inert to hand made to .gov mfg grenades. Also, when in doubt, blow in place. They have mobile trailers made for grenades and tnt blocks/detcord/primers.

[Big Red Badger]

Exactly How...

[AppyPappy]

Just leave the f’n thing alone

[OldHarbor]

Were these US military grenades , foreign make, home made ?

If they had been X-Rayed, how could they have been deemed inert when the one they chose to saw open was not.

Were the other two grenades also live ? I assume they were re-examined.

[Openurmind]

“they are fine! Look!” Pling... Boom...

[ansel12]

A guy’s mind has to be really out there to forget that he owns hand grenades when he moves.

[BenLurkin]

also: https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4329938/posts

[BenLurkin]

Seems like they were sawing it in the parking lot for reasons which they alone knew.

[DCBryan1]

A guy’s mind has to be really out there to forget that he owns hand grenades when he moves.

Unless you are married to this one:

[Doc91678]

They failed to treat this as real.
First rule: Every call out is real and dangerous until the threat the neutralized...
Second rule: All threats are real.

[Doc91678]

Ditto!!

[GingisK]

Big difference in weight from inert to hand made to .gov mfg grenades

The TNT weighs only 2 oz. Unless you put them on a scale you won't notice a weight difference. Yellow band "armed", blue band "inert". Inert grenades also have a hole in the bottom. Sometimes the "spoon" is blue on an inert grenade.

When in doubt, Mr. Grenade is always live.

[al baby]

EEEEEWWWWWW

[SuperLuminal]

Did these three deputies have a military (perhaps “combat”) background???

[BipolarBob]

When you get old, you forget things . . like that.

[Big Red Badger]

Yup...

[butlerweave]

DEI hires