The Botched Detonation That Devastated a Neighborhood (Image Credits: Pexels)
Los Angeles — Newly surfaced internal LAPD records show that officers involved in a catastrophic fireworks explosion received suspensions lasting no more than 18 days.[1][2] The June 30, 2021, incident leveled part of a South Los Angeles neighborhood, injured 17 people and prompted millions in city payouts. Those documents emerged online recently after hackers targeted the city attorney’s office, revealing details the department had withheld under state privacy laws.[1]
The Botched Detonation That Devastated a Neighborhood
On June 30, 2021, LAPD bomb squad members arrived at the 700 block of East 27th Street in South Los Angeles to handle illegal fireworks seized from a nearby truck. The fireworks owner, Arturo Ceja III, later pleaded guilty to federal charges for unlicensed transportation of explosives.[1] Technicians loaded what they visually estimated as about 10 pounds of volatile M-1000 fireworks into an armored containment vessel for a controlled burn. In reality, the load weighed nearly 42 pounds — almost double the vessel’s safe capacity of around 33 to 40 pounds, depending on squad assumptions.[1][3]
The resulting blast destroyed the department’s bomb squad vehicle and ripped through the surrounding area. It damaged or destroyed 22 homes, 13 businesses and 37 vehicles, displacing dozens of residents and injuring 17 individuals, including 10 officers, six civilians and one federal agent.[1][4] The explosion forced families like that of Maria Velasquez into hotels for years, with rebuilding stalled by permit issues. City costs mounted quickly, exceeding $5 million initially for housing and repairs alone.
A Massive Data Breach Brings Secrets to Light
Hackers breached the Los Angeles city attorney’s office in recent weeks, dumping hundreds of thousands of sensitive LAPD files online. Among them were unredacted internal affairs reports, crime scene photos and disciplinary records tied to the 2021 blast — information the department had long refused to release.[1] An LAPD source confirmed the files’ authenticity, highlighting details previously shielded by state law protecting officer privacy. The leak sparked outrage from elected officials and prompted the police union to withdraw support from the city attorney.
Prior investigations by The Times had identified the six bomb squad officers but yielded few specifics on punishments. Attorneys argued unsuccessfully for disclosure under transparency laws covering cases of severe injury. The fresh documents now lay bare the outcomes of the department’s probe.[3]
Brief Suspensions for Key Players
The leaked files detail discipline for six officers present that day, with penalties limited to unpaid suspensions ranging from five to 18 days. No firings or harsher measures followed, despite community demands.[1] Three primary figures bore the brunt: Detective Damien Levesque, the top supervisor, received 18 days off for failing to verify calculations and stepping away from safety talks. Technicians Stefanie Alcocer and Mell Hogg each got 10 days for grossly underestimating the load’s weight.
- Brendan McCarty, the senior technician who warned of risks but did not press harder, drew a five-day suspension.
- Thomas Deluccia and Mark Richardson faced no penalties, as investigators found minimal involvement.
Those 10- and 18-day terms mirrored routine cases, such as an officer shoving a civilian or misusing a database. Alcocer, Hogg and Levesque later transferred out of the bomb squad; some involved officers even received promotions.[2] The department did not respond to inquiries about further actions.
Resident Anger and Lingering Fallout
Maria Velasquez, whose family home vanished in the blast, reacted sharply to Levesque’s punishment: “Eighteen freaking days?!” Her elderly parents endured three years in a hotel, and settlement funds partly covered rent amid permit delays.[1] Ron Gochez of Unión del Barrio noted the officers recouped lost pay through raises, underscoring perceived leniency.
The city approved a $21 million settlement in 2024 for 17 claimants, with individual awards up to $2.8 million. Yet tensions persist over accountability in a working-class area still scarred by the event. The leak renews calls for reform, exposing how privacy rules shielded details of a “catastrophic failure” that upended lives.[4]
Key Takeaways from the Leak:
- Suspensions totaled 5-18 days for misjudging a 42-pound explosive load.
- 17 injured, dozens displaced, $21M+ in settlements.
- Files surfaced via city attorney hack; LAPD silent on further discipline.
As South L.A. residents rebuild, the exposed records raise fresh questions about balancing officer privacy with public trust after such profound mishaps.
