News Releases

December 13, 2022: LASD Sergeant Charged With Unlawfully Discharging His Firearm

Contact: 
Media Relations Division
(213) 257-2000

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Joel Nebel was charged today with unlawfully firing his handgun at his home last year.

“Officers are entrusted with the safety of our community. When they act recklessly, endangering lives of the public, we will demand accountability,” District Attorney Gascón said. “We are very fortunate that no one was injured during this incident, but it could have easily ended in tragedy.”

Nebel was charged in case BA511230 with one felony count of discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner. He is scheduled to be arraigned on February 7 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

On July 27, 2021, the defendant was off-duty and was in his backyard when he allegedly fired several rounds from his handgun. One of the rounds struck his television and another struck a neighboring home but no one was injured.

The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau.