The LAPD bomb squad that miscalculated a firework detonation in 2021, destroying 22 homes and injuring 17 people, received only light punishments, with the harshest being an 18-day suspension, according to a report based on leaked documents.
Residents Outraged by Lenient Discipline
Maria Velasquez, whose home was destroyed in the blast, expressed disbelief upon learning of the punishments. “Eighteen freaking days?!” she told the Los Angeles Times. Velasquez had to stay in a hotel for three years following the incident and, despite receiving a settlement from the city, still faces delays in rebuilding due to pending permit approvals.
The LAPD conducted an internal investigation but never publicly disclosed the disciplinary actions. A hacking group targeting the city attorney's office leaked documents detailing the punishments online, revealing that Detective Damien Levesque, the highest-ranking officer at the scene, received an 18-day suspension without pay. Two other bomb squad technicians, Stefanie Alcocer and Mell Hogg, were suspended for 10 days. All three were later transferred off the bomb squad.
Leaked Documents Confirmed by LAPD Source
The Los Angeles Times spoke to an LAPD source familiar with the case who confirmed the leaked documents were legitimate. The 2021 explosion on the 700 block of East 27th Street damaged or destroyed 22 residential properties, 13 businesses, and 37 vehicles. Seventeen people were injured, including six civilians, 10 LAPD officers, and one ATF agent.
An investigation determined that bomb squad members had significantly misjudged the size of the blast. Levesque was found to be “deficient in his supervisory duties” for failing to check the technicians' calculations and for walking away from safety discussions, which “contributed to an excessive quantity of explosive material being detonated,” the LA Times reported.
Residents Call for Dismissals
Affected residents have long called for those responsible to be fired. Ron Gochez, a member of the Union del Barrio neighborhood advocacy group, told the LA Times, “Whatever money they lost out on these [suspensions], they more than made up for with their raises.” Several officers involved in the incident were later promoted.
The 10-day suspensions given to Hogg and Alcocer are comparable to those for lesser infractions. For example, an officer received a 10-day suspension for failing to disclose a relationship with a subordinate and misusing a department database. One bomb squad officer, Brendan McCarty, received a 5-day suspension even though he tried to warn colleagues about the danger of the planned detonation, as officials concluded he should have been more persistent in his objections.
Arturo Ceja III, the 26-year-old who bought the illegal fireworks, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of unlicensed transportation of explosives from Nevada to California.
