The family of a deputy who died last year from burn injuries sustained in an October 2023 explosion at Pitchess Detention Center announced Monday a wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit against the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and a mobile gun range.
Alfredo “Freddy” Flores, 51, a 22-year veteran of the department, died Apil 20, 2024, at the hospital from complications of thermal burns, nearly six months after suffering them in the Oct. 10, 2023, incident that a medical examiner listed as an “accident” on his death certificate.
The complaint filed on behalf of the Flores family states while Flores was conducting routing firearms training in the 53-foot mobile gun range at the Castaic jail, a fire ignited due to “an accumulation of unburned gunpowder residue, lead particles and other flammable materials.” These conditions are also cited in violations found at an Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection of the mobile range following the accident.
Flores died after “enduring third-degree burns across much of his body” and prolonged medical treatment, according to a statement from the family’s firm, Carpenter & Zuckerman. The complaint states that he suffered severe burns of multiple areas inside and outside of his body, including third-degree burns on his head, face, arms, back and both hands that ultimately led to his death. He was hospitalized from the time of his injury to his death.
The family is now looking for answers and prevention with Monday’s lawsuit.
“While nothing can fill the void left in our family’s life resulting from Freddy’s untimely death, with this lawsuit, we seek answers to our questions and accountability for the tragic incident that took him from our lives,” according to a statement attributed to the Flores family, which was released Monday by the law firm representing them. “With this lawsuit, 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 lawsuit stemming from the incident alleges constitutional violations against the Sheriff’s Department, as well as negligence-based allegations against the mobile shooting range trailer’s manufacturer, according to the lawsuit.
A future hearing date for the complaint was not available as of this story’s publication.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Information Bureau issued a response Monday on behalf of the department stating it was “deeply saddened” by Flores’ death.
“The Department has not officially received this lawsuit but stands firm on creating an environment focused on safety and well-being for all employees. The National Response Team (NRT) from ATF Los Angeles Field Division and the Sheriff’s Arson Explosives Detail have preliminarily determined that the nature of the fire is accidental, and the investigation is still ongoing. As a proactive measure, all mobile shooting ranges across the county remained closed while they investigate the cause and origin of the fire,” according to the statement. “Due to the vast area that the Department covers, these mobile ranges were placed in certain geographic locations so personnel can maintain their firearm qualifications. We are currently using other law enforcement ranges and our outdoor Wayside range for firearm qualifications.”
Deputy Mark Thorn is listed in the lawsuit as the rangemaster for the mobile facility at Pitchess and the only other person present when the discharge from Flores’ firearm ignited the trailer and left both “engulfed in flames.” The Sheriff’s Department confirmed in November that two deputies were still hospitalized as a result of the incident.
Thorn is not listed as a plaintiff nor a defendant in the lawsuit announced Monday. L.A. County Superior Court records available online did not list any legal action in his name associated with the incident. His status with the LASD was not immediately available Monday.
Richard Pippin, vice president of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, said the death of Flores, whom he had the honor of serving with at the Altadena Sheriff’s Station, was “100% avoidable.”
Pippin also aimed his frustration over the tragedy at the L.A. County Board of Supervisors for funding shortfalls that require corners to be cut.
“And so, we’re forced to do things like use these trailers that are, frankly, just a cheap shortcut to the kind of training facilities a modern law enforcement agency should have,” Pippin said.
The firm released footage it said was taken from surveillance cameras shortly after the explosion, which shows Flores frantically trying to take off his utility belt after the accident.
Federal records from the OSHA indicated inspectors found five violations at the North County Correctional Facility training range associated with the incident that resulted in $300,000 in fines being levied. They were issued April 4, 2024, and contested in June, according to OSHA records available online.
According to the two “serious” violations cited by OSHA online, found the LASD did not: include procedures for identifying and evaluating workplace hazards including scheduled periodic inspections to identify unsafe conditions and work practices”; nor did it “include methods and/or procedures for correcting unsafe or unhealthy conditions, work practices and work procedures in a timely manner based on the severity of the hazard.” These are listed as having $25,000 fines.
The two regulations listed as willful violations, which came with a $125,000 fine each, state: “machinery and equipment in service shall be inspected and maintained as recommended by the manufacturer where such recommendations are available”; and “all enclosed areas wherein combustible dusts are generated or are present, except in closed or covered containers shall be cleaned as often as necessary to prevent accumulation of dust on floors, ledges, beams, equipment, machines or elsewhere which may present a fire or explosion hazard.”
