According to law enforcement officials, a bullet fired from a nearby FBI gun range grazed an inmate at a Los Angeles County jail.
An unidentified inmate sustained injuries on August 9 when they were sitting on a porch outside a jail housing barrack at Pitchess Detention Center South Facility in Castaic, located approximately 35 miles northwest of LA, The LA County Sheriff’s Department stated that after reporting the injury to jail staff, it was discovered that several cars had also been struck by bullets.
According to the LA Times., the severity of the inmate’s injuries was not disclosed.
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The jail complex also houses outdoor shooting ranges, including one primarily utilized by FBI agents. The sheriff concluded that the bullet originated from the FBI range.
The department stated that the bullets were found to have come from the FBI’s range. After the incident, the Sheriff’s personnel and the FBI conducted a debriefing. As a result, the range has been closed.
The incident was acknowledged by the FBI, who issued a statement to the LA Times clarifying that the bullets were discharged during a quarterly firearms training exercise conducted by one of their agents.
According to a statement, one person sustained a superficial injury and received treatment. The FBI acknowledges the seriousness of any shooting incidents involving their agents or task force members.
The incident is currently under investigation by the FBI’s Inspection Division.
The LA Sheriff’s Department and the FBI have been approached for comment by The Independent.
The range at the jail complex was closed by the sheriff following the incident. However, according to an official, other ranges at the complex are still being utilized.
In Castaic, there have been previous incidents related to firing ranges. One such incident occurred in October when the LASD had to close down its fleet of mobile range trailers. These trailers, which function as firing ranges, were temporarily out of commission due to a fire that broke out during a training exercise.
According to the Associated Press, firefighters who arrived at the scene mentioned that containing the fire proved to be exceptionally challenging due to the presence of live ammunition in the burning trailer.
According to Fox 11 Los Angeles, the fire resulted in injuries to two deputies. Unfortunately, one of the deputies Alfredo Flores, aged 51, sustained severe injuries and tragically passed away six months later.
