Suspect who fired flare gun at officers in Virginia neighbourhood presumed dead: US police

The suspect who fired at the officers as they were trying to execute a search warrant in Arlington, Virginia is believed to be dead, said the local police, on Tuesday (Dec 5). The statement comes a day after a house in the US county exploded when it was surrounded by officers. 

The suspect who is believed to have fired the flare gun was identified as James Yoo, 56, by the Arlington County police chief, Andy Penn, on Tuesday. 

The 56-year-old, according to the police, is the owner of the duplex and the person who is believed to have fired a “flare-type gun” from inside the house more than 30 times. 

The police were called around 4:45 pm (local time) on Monday after reports of a man firing a flare gun from inside the house located on the 800 block of North Burlington Street. It was after failed attempts to establish contact with Yoo, that police obtained a search warrant. 

Around 8:30 pm (local time), as officers were attempting to execute the search warrant and tried to enter the home, multiple gunshots were fired from within the house, said Penn. Subsequently, the house exploded, the police chief added. 

The officers in the vicinity escaped with minor injuries but no one was taken to the hospital. The police also evacuated nearby residents around 7:00 pm (local time), including people who lived in the other part of the duplex. 

The fire was brought under control around 10:30 pm (local time), according to media reports. Nate Hiner, a spokesperson for the Arlington Fire Department, said that the fire officials do not know the cause of the explosion. 

Penn said that investigators have not yet identified human remains found inside the home but “all factors point to that it’s this individual,” referring to Yoo. 

Arlington County police spokesperson Ashley Savage said it was unclear what happened to the suspect who was inside the building during the blast. She also said that the police did not find any evidence that others were in the duplex but could not rule out the possibility.

Images and videos of the incident show the moment the house burst into flames while police vehicles could be seen outside a brick house. The explosion was heard kilometres away and around 10 houses were damaged in the blast. 

Carla Rodriguez of South Arlington, according to the Guardian, said that the blast was heard more than two miles (3.2 kilometres) away and she came to the scene. “I actually thought a plane exploded,” said Rodriguez. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said federal agents and fire investigators were at the scene and assisting local authorities. A White House spokesperson, on Tuesday, also said that they are monitoring developments. 

Media reports citing officials investigating the incident said Yoo had allegedly made “concerning social media posts” which included publicly posting grievances against multiple people in his life, including his neighbours and a former co-worker on LinkedIn. 

According to the Associated Press, the 56-year-old also filed four lawsuits between 2018 and 2022 against his ex-wife, younger sister, a moving company, and the New York Supreme Court. All the cases were dismissed. 

Yoo also repeatedly contacted the FBI “over a number of years,” through phone calls, online tips, and letters to file complaints, said Washington Field Office Assistant Director David Sundberg, as per USA Today. 

(With inputs from agencies)