By Jorge Casuso

July 21, 2025 -- The explosive devices that killed three LA Sheriff's Deputies early Friday morning likely originated from a multifamily building in Santa Monica's Ocean Park neighborhood, according to multiple sources.

The explosives were being moved on a cart at the Sheriff's training facility's parking lot in East LA when the blast went off killing Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn.

Sheriff's Department officials confirmed the three deputies had seized the explosives a day earlier in a residential building in Santa Monica.

"On Thursday our Arson Explosives Detail personnel who were involved in today's fatal incident responded to the 800 block of Bay Street in Santa Monica for a call for service to assist Santa Monica PD," LASD said in a statement Friday.

"Homicide Detectives are in the process of obtaining a search warrant for the location and out of the abundance of caution the LAPD Bomb Squad, ATF and FBI will search the location for any potential explosive materials."

The condominium building at the northern edge of Ocean Park had been evacuated Thursday afternoon after the Home Owners Association (HOA) sent an email notifying residents that “an unidentified potential explosive device has been found in the garage,” The New York Times reported.

“I don’t think we are in immediate danger,” the email read, adding that a bomb squad was on its way to assess, according to the Times.

"As residents evacuated, the three deputies, all bomb squad members" . . . "rushed to Santa Monica," where they "found what appeared to be explosive devices," the Times reported.

The deputies brought the devices back to their headquarters in Monterrey Park, located on the same site as the training facility where they would be killed in the explosion at around 7:30 Friday morning.

On Friday, Santa Monica police evacuated the residents of the building before LASD detectives and federal authorities searched a storage locker and at least one unit to determine if the devices that exploded were taken from the building, according to reports.

"Numerous law enforcement officers were seen going in and out of the garage for hours," ABC 7 in Los Angeles reported. "Residents were allowed to return home later Friday evening."

The HOA president had "told a resident that a former tenant who had been in the military may have left the explosive devices behind, and a current resident discovered them in her storage locker on Thursday," the station reported.

Law enforcement sources told The LA Times that "the explosion is being investigated as a negligent homicide, which could result in charges against the person who made or stored the device."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) "is expected to lead a federal probe into the cause of the explosion," the Times reported.

Friday's explosion resulted in LASD's largest loss of life since the County Sheriff and three of his men were ambushed and killed by a gang of outlaws in a gunfight on horseback in 1867.

The Santa Monica Police Department posted the following statement on X Friday: "We extend our deepest condolences to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department following the tragic loss of three deputies earlier this morning.

"Our thoughts are with their families, colleagues, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. We stand in solidarity with LASD as they mourn this profound loss."