Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva acknowledged on Monday that he ordered deputies to delete photos taken at the site of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and seven others.
Villanueva told NBC4 in Los Angeles that the intent was to halt distribution of the images. But the Los Angeles Times reports that the order has prompted concerns over destruction of evidence within the department.
The Times reported that the department ordered the deletion of the photos last week in an effort to keep the matter quiet.