Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Alfredo “Freddy” Flores, gravely injured in a mobile shooting range explosion in October 2023, has succumbed to his injuries and died over the weekend on Saturday, according to the family's attorney, Joe Nunez. The Department confirmed his death on Sunday but has not released any other details surrounding his passing as of this writing. 

It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Alfredo "Freddy" Flores who valiantly fought for his life after sustaining severe injuries in the line of duty. Freddy was an amazing and loving husband, father, son, and brother," said a statement issued by Nunez on Sunday. 

"He loved working for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and dedicated his life to serving and protecting our community. While law enforcement officers and their families are acutely aware of the inherent risks associated with the position, nothing could have prepared us for his untimely departure due to injuries sustained stemming from the malfunction of equipment during a training drill. Freddy's loss is a devastating blow, and we are struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy. We thank the community for their support during this incredibly difficult time."

On behalf of @lasdhq, we mourn the profound loss of Deputy Alfredo “Freddy” Flores, who tragically passed away last night following a valiant fight for recovery from injuries sustained in the line of duty. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/pFKZBJ3esS

— Robert Luna (@LACoSheriff) April 21, 2024

On October 10, 2023, Deputy Flores and another Deputy Sheriff were gravely injured when the mobile range they were operating exploded and caught fire. The trailer in use was located inside the North County Correctional Facility onboard the Pitches Detention Center, located in Castaic, California. The circumstances behind the explosion at the time, and still today, have been noticeably absent of substantive detail or information. However, I was able to confirm with one department official at the time that the range trailer that blew up and burned had been taken out of service several years ago and replaced with a newer version and was supposed to be scrapped. However, due to budget issues related to the LA County Board of Supervisors' defunding of the department, the range trailer was forced to be brought back into service when the newer trailer was placed out of service due to an electrical system needing repair.  

I was able to speak to personnel in the department at the time, under condition of anonymity, and they painted a tragic, yet preventable accident. According to these sources, Flores was using the range to practice for qualification when the trailer randomly exploded with him and the range operator inside it. Flores and the other deputy were then unable to escape the trailer quickly enough to escape the scorching hot flames that were roiling around them. 

"According to the LASD official, responding deputies from inside the detention center arrived almost immediately after the initial explosion and fire but were unable to open the door due to the pressure, as the door opens to the inside of the trailer and not out. When deputies were able to get the door open, according to the official, they found the deputies with most of their uniforms and undergarments burnt completely off, and the fire was still raging inside the trailer. Both of the deputies injured were not only severely burned on the outside of their bodies, but inhaled extremely toxic and dangerous chemicals that were exposed during the explosion and fire. Essentially the two deputies were trapped in a tiny oven full of searing hot flame and toxic chemicals, which caused severe chemical burns in their lungs."

Deputy Flores, himself a 22-year veteran of the Department, was also close to retirement when the incident occurred. After the explosion, Flores could be seen entering the hallway of the custody facility, with severe burns to his upper body and uniform still on fire. 

The explosion of the range trailer was most likely due to a failure of the filtration system that is used to remove the residue and powder that is left behind after firing. Handgun cartridges, when fired out of handguns, tend to leave a small amount of unburnt powder behind. Along with lead and other metallic residue from the ammunition, the filtration system needs to be cleaned and maintained to prevent this exact scenario. In the almost seven months since the incident, there has been no update to the public, or further information that I have been able to obtain via my sources as to the details of the investigations into the cause of the incident. Flores' death is just another blow to a department that has had an incredibly difficult time over the past year and a half under the lack of leadership by Sheriff Robert Luna. 

Memorial services for Deputy Flores have not been announced at this time.