The area where an Arlington duplex blew up will remain closed for the foreseeable future as investigators determine the cause and origin of the explosion, authorities said Tuesday.
Arlington Police Chief Andy Penn identified James Yoo, 56, of Arlington, as the suspect who held police at bay for hours before the home in the 800 block of North Burlington Street exploded.
Yoo is presumed to be dead, and investigators found a body in the debris.
The chief medical examiner “will work to positively identify the individual and determine the cause and manner of death,” Penn said during a news briefing Tuesday afternoon.
“There is no ongoing threat to the community related to this incident and no outstanding suspects,” he said.
Watch news conference about the home explosion:
The police had been on the scene for hours trying to communicate with Yoo after he fired more than 30 flares into the neighborhood. “The communications were not successful,” Penn said.
The police had a search warrant for Yoo’s home, and they said he fired multiple rounds at them as they tried to enter. Penn said officers deployed non-flammable chemicals into the home in the hopes of getting Yoo to come out.
Actions Saved Lives
Around 7 p.m., roughly an hour-and-a-half before the explosion, the fire department evacuated neighboring homes, including the one attached.
Assistant Fire Chief Jason R. Jenkins said the department needed to prepare for any possible contingencies.
“Fire department personnel turned off the gas before the explosion occurred,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins thanked firefighters for all they did Monday night.
“Their efforts last evening saved lives. Period. They minimized damage to property,” he said.
Yoo Was Known to Authorities
Arlington police didn’t have any documented interactions with Yoo, outside of a couple of loud noise complaints, Penn said.
“We are aware of concerning social media posts alleged made by the suspect and these will be reviewed as part of the ongoing criminal investigation,” Penn said.
But the FBI knew of James Yoo, who had contacted the agency several times.
“I would characterize these communications as primarily complaints about alleged frauds he believed were perpetrated against him,” said Dave Sundberg, assistant director of the Washington Field Office of the FBI.
At the Explosion Scene
Penn said the Northern Virginia Critical Incident Response Team, Arlington County Fire Marshal, and members of the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are part of the recovery investigation.
Authorities said the probe will be extensive and time consuming since debris from the blast landed several streets away. The county is assisting about 10 families impacted by the blast.
ATF has K-9s, bomb technicians, and fire arson experts on the scene assisting with the grid search for the cause and origin.
Feature image courtesy Arlington County Police Department/YouTube
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