Man linked to Arlington, Virginia, house explosion dead

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• MORE: 15 injured in fire, building collapse following gas line rupture in New York state: Officials
• Police Offer Free Vehicle Anti-Theft Devices
• Virginia house explosion not caused by firefight with federal agents. None were there
• Nearby Communities
• Man who lived at Virginia home that exploded is presumed dead, police say

“I was sitting in my living room watching television and the whole house shook,” Maynes said. Neighbors several blocks away described feeling the concussion from the blast in their homes. Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn said human remains were recovered from the scene but have not yet been identified. "With social media, you hear all of the stories, and I don't know if everything is true or not. I've been following that. There's still questions," With said. 7News obtained video of those late afternoon flares from Sarah Wilhoite, who saw this happen with her roommate.

MORE: 15 injured in fire, building collapse following gas line rupture in New York state: Officials

During their search of the house in the Sycamore Heights townhome community, firefighters rescued four pets, including cats. One pet was found dead inside the house, the Arlington County Fire Department said Wednesday. Download the WUSA9 app to get breaking news, weather and important stories at your fingertips.

Police Offer Free Vehicle Anti-Theft Devices

He said it wasn’t clear where in the house the shots were coming from or what the suspect was firing at. With his cellphone's camera, Wilson captured video of the inferno, which has been replayed countless times on local news stations. He said he heard police announce they were going to try to ram the front door, so he went on his roof to start recording. Penn said officers attempted to engage with Yoo to no avail, so they obtained a search warrant.

Virginia house explosion not caused by firefight with federal agents. None were there

Emergency management officials said 10 to 12 surrounding homes were damaged by the blast. Stunning video shows a home exploding into flames and collapsing as debris flies more than two stories into the air. The blast occurred as police investigated someone shooting flares into a residential area near Ballston. The explosion occurred in Bluemont, a neighborhood in north Arlington where many of the homes are duplexes. As officers tried to enter the home, multiple gunshots were fired from within the house, Penn said. Over the years, he also made many attempts to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through phone calls, letters and online tips, according to lawsuits and David Sundberg, the assistant director of the FBI’s Washington field office.

Even on LinkedIn, he shared paranoid rants about a former co-worker and said his neighbour was a spy. In 2018, Yoo filed a 163-page federal lawsuit in New York against his then-wife, younger sister and a hospital after he said he was committed against his will. Yoo alleged conspiracy and deprivation of his rights, among other crimes. On LinkedIn, he recently posted paranoid rants about his neighbors and a former co-worker. Penn said police are aware of "concerning social media posts made by the suspect," though did not elaborate. Police officers sustained minor injuries and were treated on scene and the fire has since been extinguished.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said federal agents and federal fire investigators were at the scene and assisting in the investigation. Fire officials do not know the cause of the explosion, said Nate Hiner, a spokesperson for the Arlington fire department. Several US authorities, including the White House, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), are monitoring developments and investigating the cause of the explosion. Carla Rodriquez of South Arlington heard its sound despite living more than 3.2km (2 miles) away, AP reported. He also posted videos online of lawsuits that he filed, accusing people of stalking, threatening and harassing him. Yoo’s social media posts air grievances about various people in his life.

Nearby Communities

It was “a flare-type gun,” Penn said, and more than 30 projectiles had been fired. As Yoo barricaded himself inside the home, authorities obtained a search warrant to enter the property and look for weapons, Penn said. Three officers reported minor injuries in the house explosion, but no one was taken to the hospital.

ARLINGTON, VA — A townhouse in the East Falls Church neighborhood of Arlington was badly damaged by a fire that started late Tuesday night, according to fire officials. Arlington Fire and EMS said the house fire was quickly extinguished. One person was taken to the hospital in “stable condition,” Arlington Fire and EMS said. A fire that tore through a house in Arlington, Virginia, has left seven people without their homes. The Fire Prevention Office is asking anyone that lives in the immediate area with home surveillance equipment to please review their video for any information that could assist with the investigation. ARLINGTON, Va. — The Arlington Fire Department has opened an investigation into a series of small explosions that destroyed a privately owned outdoor library and damaged an amphitheater this week.

AP AUDIO: Suspect who fired at Virginia officers from a duplex before it exploded is thought to be dead.

With the gas cut off before the explosion, detectives are still investigating what caused such a big blast. For neighbors nearby, the explosion physically and emotionally shook them to their core. At some point, fire officials said the gas to the home was cut off and the situation reached a point when fire crews evacuated neighboring homes around 7 p.m. "I've lived here more than 20 years," she said, adding that the explosion knocked down some of her wall hangings. "I walk past there all the time. It's a little frightening to think what's going on in these houses."

Suspect identified in Arlington standoff ending in home explosion - Axios

Suspect identified in Arlington standoff ending in home explosion.

Posted: Tue, 05 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The person inside did not respond, and officers were trying to execute the search warrant when "the suspect discharged several rounds, from what is believed to be a firearm, inside the home," police added. The authorities said that Mr. Yoo’s only previous encounters with the local police before Monday were related to a couple of noise complaints. But David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the F.B.I.’s Washington field office, said that Mr. Yoo had submitted tips over the years about “alleged frauds” that he believed had been perpetrated against him. Yoo, who inherited the house from his parents, stated in unsuccessful legal filings over the years that he had long suffered from alcoholism.

“Come to the front door with your hands up,” someone can be heard saying in the video. Carla Rodriguez of south Arlington said she could hear the explosion more than two miles away and came to the scene but police kept onlookers blocks away. Neighbours also told NBC News that Yoo’s house was in an alarming state before Monday’s explosion, with a trashed front yard and “no trespassing signs” everywhere.

In his social media writings, Yoo called himself an independent and posted ranting hashtags calling for defunding the FBI, the CIA and the National Security Agency. The cause of the explosion is still unknown and under investigation.

Delusion, fantasy: Arlington man whose house exploded had history of dismissed lawsuits - WTOP

Delusion, fantasy: Arlington man whose house exploded had history of dismissed lawsuits.

Posted: Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The police chief stressed that the events are an isolated incident and said there is no ongoing threat to the community. In an effort to compel Yoo to surrender, Penn said the officers deployed "nonflammable, less-lethal chemical munitions" where Yoo was believed to be hiding. Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jenkins noted that the fire department turned off the gas line to the house before the explosion occurred.

He claimed that the reporter threatened a harassment charge if Yoo made further attempts to communicate with a US attorney in western New York. Yoo’s 2018 lawsuit against his then-wife, younger sister and a hospital, filed after he said he was committed against his will, alleged conspiracy and a deprivation of his rights, amongst other crimes. Most homes in the north Arlington suburb – Bluemont, where the shooting occurred- are two attached units or “duplexes”. The house was in the 800 block of North Burlington Street in Arlington, Virginia, police said. The city is across the Potomac River from the US capital, Washington, DC.

In 2021, he sued his ex-wife’s divorce attorneys for $300 million, accusing them of fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress and other offenses. The complaints did not lead to the FBI opening any investigations, according to Sundberg, who did not provide any further details on the alleged claims. "There is no ongoing threat to the community related to this incident and no outstanding suspects," Penn said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

"We are aware of concerning social media posts allegedly made by the suspect, and these will be reviewed as part of the ongoing criminal investigation," Penn said. Penn noted that officials are aware of "concerning" social media posts allegedly made by Yoo, adding that they will be reviewed as part of the investigation. A man was presumed dead after his home in Arlington, Va., exploded into flames and burned for hours on Monday night as the police were preparing to search the house to investigate reports of possible gunfire, the authorities said. "The suspect was inside the residence at the time of the explosion, and he is presumed, at this point, to be deceased. Human remains have been located at the scene."