The widow of basketball star Kobe Bryant is “absolutely devastated” by allegations that deputies shared graphic photos of the helicopter crash scene where Bryant, their 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed, her lawyer said in a statement on Saturday.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday that a source had told the newspaper they had been shown photos that showed the scene and victims’ remains. The Times also reported on Friday that the sheriff’s department quietly ordered deputies to delete any photos of the helicopter crash scene after a citizen complained that a deputy was showing the images at a bar.

The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department say they are investigating the allegations.

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Vanessa Bryant’s lawyer, Gary Robb, said his client went to the sheriff’s office on 26 January, the day of the crash, “and requested that the area be designated a no-fly zone and protected from photographers.”

Robb added: “This was of critical importance to her as she desired to protect the dignity of all the victims, and their families. At that time, Sheriff Alex Villanueva assured us all measures would be put in place to protect the families’ privacy, and it is our understanding that he has worked hard to honor those requests.”

Robb said the sharing of photos would be “an unspeakable violation of human decency, respect, and of the privacy rights of the victims and their families.” He called for those who shared the photos to “face the harshest possible discipline, and that their identities be brought to light, to ensure that the photos are not further disseminated.”

Vanessa Bryant is already suing the owner of the helicopter in which her husband and daughter were killed. The wrongful death lawsuit filed last week said the pilot, Ara Zobayan, was careless and negligent by flying in cloudy conditions and should have aborted the flight. Zobayan was killed in the crash.