**Key Takeaways:**
– An explosion at a Southern California FBI training facility resulted in injuries to 16 members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team.
– The incident occurred during an annual joint exercise between the SWAT team and the bomb squad at the Jerry Crowe Regional Tactical Training Facility in Irvine.
– One team member required surgery for a leg injury, while two others sustained minor injuries. Thirteen others were treated for dizziness and ringing in the ears.
– The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation, and the FBI was not involved in the incident.
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During a routine training session on Wednesday, a sudden explosion at the Jerry Crowe Regional Tactical Training Facility, operated by the FBI in Irvine, California, left 16 SWAT team members from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) injured. The team was participating in their annual collaborative training exercise with the department’s bomb squad when the incident occurred just before 1 p.m.
The explosion, which took place indoors, resulted in various injuries among the team members. Sgt. Frank Gonzalez of the OCSD reported that one of the officers suffered a leg injury severe enough to necessitate surgery, although it was not life-threatening. Two other members also reported injuries—one to the back and another to the leg—but neither required surgical intervention.
In the aftermath, an additional 13 SWAT team members were transported to local hospitals after experiencing dizziness and ringing in their ears, symptoms often associated with concussive blasts. Most of these individuals were treated and subsequently released, indicating that their conditions were not severe.
The sequence of events leading up to the explosion remains unclear, and authorities are actively investigating to determine the cause. It is important to note that the FBI was not directly involved in the incident, as clarified by Sgt. Gonzalez. This incident has prompted a thorough review of safety protocols during training exercises to prevent future occurrences.