(GoRealNewsNow.com) – A police standoff with a shooter at a duplex in Arlington, Virginia, ended suddenly when the house was destroyed by a massive explosion, leaving the gunman dead.
Watch the video of the explosion further down this post.
Investigators believe a man from Arlington, Virginia, suspected of firing a flare gun and gunshots before his home exploded during a standoff on Monday night, is deceased.
Human remains were found in the burnt debris but were yet to be identified, according to reports by Fox5 and WTOP.
Police identified the suspect as 56-year-old James Yoo of Arlington, Police Chief Andy Penn told a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
Officers responded to reports of possible shots fired at a duplex on North Burlington Street in the Bluemont neighborhood around 4:45 p.m. on Monday.
Yoo, while inside the home, fired over 30 shots from a flare gun, according to police. Efforts to communicate with him were unsuccessful.
“A search warrant was ultimately obtained to allow our officers to secure any weapons to ensure there will be no ongoing threat to the community,” Penn stated.
Yoo remained unresponsive even after breaching the front door to facilitate communication and potential surrender,
Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jenkins mentioned that the gas to the home was turned off before the explosion in an attempt to mitigate risk.
Around 8:30 p.m., as officers attempted entry, Penn said Yoo fired multiple rounds from a “suspected” firearm. The exact location of the gunfire and its target remained unknown.
“Officers could not locate the source of the suspected gunfire or its intended target,” Penn explained.
“Officers began to deploy non-flammable less lethal chemical munitions to multiple areas within the residence where the suspect was believed to be hiding. The purpose of this type of a deployment is to cause irritation in hopes of compelling the suspect to surrender,” he elaborated.
Subsequently, the house exploded, with Yoo presumed dead by authorities.
“Human remains had been located at the scene and the office of the chief medical examiner will work to positively identify the individual and determine the cause and manner of death,” Penn said.
Fortunately, no one else was seriously injured, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Arlington police had had limited prior interactions with him, primarily involving two noise complaints.
However, his recent LinkedIn posts contained paranoid rants about neighbors and a former coworker.
🚨 House in Arlington, Virginia explodes after police reportedly approached it with a search warrant
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 5, 2023