Sheriff says Kobe Bryant crash scene photos were shared by 8 deputies: "Sense of betrayal"
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Monday that eight deputies were involved in the sharing of graphic photos of the scene of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others, reports CBS Los Angeles.
It was reported on Feb. 28 that at least one deputy had shared photos of the crash site and the victims' remains. By Monday, the number of deputies involved had grown to eight.
Villanueva said the department has a policy against taking and sharing photos of crime scenes, but the policy doesn't apply to accident scenes.
The sheriff said he was disgusted by what his deputies did.
"When I first got word of this information, I just felt devastated," he told CBS L.A. "These families of the victims have suffered enough already.
"To have any action of our deputies compile their suffering, that breaks my heart. It's a sense of betrayal because these are my own employees."
Villanueva said he intends to expand the department's policy to include accident scenes.
Vanessa Bryant's attorney released a statement over the weekend saying she was "absolutely devastated" and demanding the harshest punishment possible for everyone involved.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department was also under investigation for taking and sharing photos of the crash site.
The helicopter crashed into a Calabasas hillside late last month in heavy fog, killing the retired Laker legend, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others on their way to a youth basketball game.