Funeral Today for Deputy Assigned to Altadena Sheriff’s Station Who Died After Shooting Range Fire

Funeral services for a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who was severely injured in an October fire at a mobile shooting range at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic and died last month were set for Thursday at St. Didacus Catholic Church in Sylmar.

Deputy Alfredo “Freddy” Flores, 51, died April 20. His assignments included working at the Altadena Sheriff’s station.

He was severely injured during a training accident that sparked a fire on Oct. 10, 2023, at the Pitchess Detention Center, one of the custody facilities at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic.

Joe Nunez, the Flores’ family attorney, said the cause of the fire was “the malfunction of equipment during a training drill.”

The fire erupted around 9:30 a.m. that day inside a 53-foot trailer configured as a mobile shooting range.

When firefighters arrived at the facility in the 29300 block of The Old Road, they determined that two injured deputies had been taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital by other deputies. Specific details about the nature and extent of their injuries were not released at that time, with Sheriff Robert Luna saying only that their injuries “are consistent with a fire.”

County fire crews worked throughout the morning to douse the stubborn fire within the trailer, with the unexploded ammunition hampering the effort. The fire was eventually declared a knockdown at 1:20 p.m. and was contained to the single mobile trailer.

Following the deputy’s death last month, Luna wrote on social media, ” … Deputy Flores was not just a colleague but a beacon of strength, earning the respect of both his peers and the community he served. His sudden departure left an immense void in the hearts of all who knew him. Freddy is survived by his wife, children, and parents.”

Flores’ assignments also included the North County Correctional Facility and the Court Services West Bureau.

On May 1, the Altadena Sheriff’s Station hosted a fundraiser, raising donations and a percentage of event sales for the family of Deputy Flores.