The FBI and local authorities are jointly probing the circumstances surrounding a house explosion in Virginia, where a suspect believed to be deceased had previously contacted the FBI multiple times.
Originally, authorities in Arlington County, led by Police Chief Andy Penn, announced the discovery of the suspect, James Yoo, 56, at the site of the burnt-out house. Located approximately five miles southwest of the nation's capital, this incident caused apprehension among residents.
While on-site at the doubly-occupied residence, believed to be inhabited by the suspect earlier in the day, authorities alleged that Yoo had fired over 30 rockets from his house into surrounding neighborhoods, prompting the issuance of a search warrant for weapon security.
The explosion forced the evacuation of several homes, sparking assistance from multiple families who benefited from aid such as temporary housing, toiletries, and other necessities. The extent of their impact remains uncertain.
Police Chief Payne revealed that his team discovered "social media posts" attributed to Yoo, which often supported controversial conspiracy theories, targeting government officials, law enforcement, and media corporations. One post further accused a neighbor of being a spy and collecting money from anonymous sources for their messages.
Security teams from Arlington County, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives collaborated in the investigation. In a statement made on Tuesday, Payne stressed that while preliminary information was available, further insights were crucial in determining exact events and their implications.
Focusing specifically on Yoo's history with the FBI, the agency confirmed that he had previously communicated with them in varying formats, including telephone calls, written exchanges, and online messaging. Their Communications Director, David Sundberg, indicated that these interactions generally revolved around complaints of fraud allegedly targeted towards Yoo, which hadn't led the FBI to launch any investigations.
Just days before the incident, police records cited fewer than two disturbance complaints related to noise from the premises.
