Deputy, dad of 4, died after explosion at CA shooting range. Now, family sues
A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was training inside his department's mobile shooting range when a fire ignited by a sudden explosion severely burned his body and ultimately killed him, a wrongful death lawsuit filed in California says.
Alfredo 'Freddy' Flores, who served 22 years with the sheriff's department, fought for his life for more than six months, then died of his burns on April 20, 2024, according to a statement from his family, including his wife and four children.
The explosion 'should not have happened,' and Flores 'did not want to die,' Flores' family said at a May 19 news conference.
'Freddy was taken from all of our lives far too soon,' they said. 'We miss his love, his attention, his protection, and his sense of humor.'
The family has brought the lawsuit against Los Angeles County, its sheriff's department and the firing range's manufacturer, InVeris Training Solutions, over Flores' death.
According to the complaint filed in Los Angles Superior Court on May 19, Flores was using the mobile shooting range trailer for a firearms training recertification, how it was supposed to be used, on Oct. 10, 2023.
But the structure, located at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, was 'defective and unreasonably dangerous,' the family's attorneys wrote in the filing.
Gunpowder, lead, propellant and other flammable materials were left to accumulate on surfaces inside the firing range, per the lawsuit. This is a 'known and foreseeable catalyst of sudden and fast-spreading fires at mobile shooting ranges,' according to the complaint.
The sheriff's department knew, or should've known, of the hazards, the complaint says. The agency put Flores in an obviously dangerous situation, in violation of his constitutional rights, according to the filing, and failed to ensure the shooting range was safe.
In a statement shared with McClatchy News, the department said on May 20 that it hasn't received the lawsuit yet, 'but stands firm on creating an environment focused on safety and well-being for all employees.'
'Our Department is deeply saddened by this tragic incident, which took the life of a dedicated and respected member of our Department family, someone who faithfully served our community with pride and commitment,' the agency said of Flores.
As an investigation into the fire continues, other mobile shooting ranges in Los Angeles County are closed, according to the sheriff's department.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Response Team and the Sheriff's Arson Explosives Detail, which are both investigating, considers the fire to be 'accidental,' based on preliminary findings, the department said.
Georgia-based InVeris, which is accused of negligence and product liability, didn't immediately return McClatchy News' request for comment May 20.
Safety violations, citations and fines
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health found a slew of safety issues at the mobile shooting range in connection with Flores' death, as reported by the Los Angeles Times in 2024.
As a result, CAL/OSHA cited the department over these violations, fining the agency more than $300,000, including for not cleaning flammable materials like gunpowder inside the structure, according to the newspaper.
'The sheriff's department failed to comply with multiple orders from Cal/OSHA,' one of the attorneys representing Flores' family, John Carpenter, of Carpenter & Zuckerman Law, said at the news conference, according to KABC-TV.
'Stop exposing our deputies and law enforcement to this deadly threat.'
Given the size of Los Angeles County, the sheriff's department has multiple mobile shooting ranges, where deputies and other personnel could renew firearm qualifications when they need to, according to the agency.
According to the lawsuit, fires have previously broken out at ranges used by the department, before Flores' death.
Flores' family, at the news conference, said that his death 'has left a tremendous void' and that they seek answers and 'accountability for the tragic incident that took him from our lives.'
'We also want to ensure that no other deputies lose their lives in this way because no family should have to go through the devastation that our family has had to face and continues to face every day,' the family said.
With the lawsuit, they hope to prevent the sheriff's department from using its mobile shooting ranges, or a court order that will make sure other law enforcement officers will be protected from potential injuries.
They're demanding a jury trial and seeking an unspecified amount in damages.
The family is also represented by attorney Carlos Hernandez, of Carpenter & Zuckerman Law, and Joe Nuñez of Westford Law Group.
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