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South LA Teen Dies in Backyard Fireworks Blast as Bomb Squad Secures Site

Investigators point to a malfunctioning homemade or high‑powered firework, with the exact device still unverified.

Overview

  • First responders found a 17-year-old critically injured around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday on the 400 block of West 84th Street in Vermont Knolls, and he was pronounced dead at a hospital.
  • LAPD says early indications suggest a malfunctioning homemade or high-powered firework, though the precise classification has not been determined.
  • Authorities found a box labeled “Cash Game 357,” a 357-shot aerial firework “cake” or “repeater,” at the scene.
  • The LAPD bomb squad conducted a controlled detonation at about 6 a.m. Thursday after discovering additional explosive materials on the property.
  • No other injuries were reported, the victim’s identity has not been released, and the investigation remains active.