Eight Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies are under investigation for taking graphic photographs at the scene of the helicopter crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant and eight others.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva told Fox 11 on Monday that five full-time deputies and three reserves were involved in taking the photos.
“I was horrified,” he said. “I just felt betrayed by my own deputies ’cause it’s such a hard thing to do as a first responder, go to a scene of such a horrific accident, talking to the families, three families that were there at the Lost Hills station, personally, and their concerns about privacy, and how we could make the day better for them if any way possible. And to have this happen, It was heartbreaking.”
The law enforcement officers involved are now under an internal investigation and have told investigators that they deleted all the photos on their phones after Villanueva ordered them to do so. However, the Los Angeles Times reported that sources claimed the directive to delete the pictures was done to “keep the matter under wraps.”
Bryant, 41, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others were traveling in a helicopter to a youth basketball game when the chopper suddenly crashed in Calabasas, California, killing all on board on Jan. 26.
The only personnel who were authorized to take photos of the crash scene were those from the National Transportation Safety Board and the coroner’s office. Bryant’s widow Vanessa said she was “absolutely devastated” by reports of the unauthorized photos, which were reportedly shown to others in a setting completely separate from the investigation of the incident.
