The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department apologized Sunday for what the agency called an “offensive and inappropriate” social media post following the U.S. strikes on nuclear and military sites in Iran.
The apology issued Sunday evening was in response to a department post hours earlier that said, “Our hearts go out to the victims and families impacted by the recent bombings in Iran. While this tragic event occurred overseas, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is closely monitoring the situation alongside our local, state, and federal partners.”
The initial post, which went on to say the department would be increasing patrols at places of worship and that there were no known threats to Los Angeles County at the time, was removed. Images of the deleted post were shared online.
In a post Sunday evening, the department said, “We are issuing this statement to formally apologize for an offensive and inappropriate social media post recently posted on our Department social media platforms regarding the ongoing conflict in Iran. This post was unacceptable, made in error, and does not reflect the views of Sheriff Robert G. Luna or the Department.
“As a law enforcement agency, we do not comment on foreign policy or military matters. Our mission remains solely focused on protecting public safety and serving our diverse communities. We fully recognize that the words and messages we share carry weight. As law enforcement professionals, we are entrusted with a position of public responsibility, and that trust demands that we communicate accurately. In this instance, we fell short of that expectation, and we are taking quick corrective action. We are committed to learning from this failure and to prevent such incidents from occurring again.”
The department said it has launched an internal review to determine how the post was created and published.
The strikes carried out late Saturday targeted three sites, increasing the stakes in the Israel-Iran war. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran later confirmed attacks on all three sites.
What to know about the U.S. attack in Iran. Camilla Rambaldi reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Sunday June 22, 2025.
Israel previously launched attacks on sites in Iran on June 13. Israeli officials said the strikes were necessary to thwart what they called an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs.
Iran officials, who have insisted their nuclear program is peaceful, had warned the U.S. to stay out of the conflict. Until Saturday, Washington had helped shoot down Iranian strikes on Israel but had not launched direct attacks on Iran.