A conspiracy theorist purposefully blew up his Virginia home while authorities were trying to serve a search warrant in December, according to a new video released by law enforcement.
James Yoo, 56, doused his Arlington home with gasoline to set the fire that caused the massive explosion that people reported hearing from miles away, WUSA9 reported. Yoo was found dead inside the following day.
Six months later, on Saturday, Arlington County officials revealed additional details about the deadly blast and released body camera footage from police officers at the scene showing the dramatic moment the house was completely leveled in the explosion.
On December 4, a patrol officer was in the area when he heard what sounded like gunshots, officials said. He ran into children at a nearby park who told him they were “scared,” body cam footage shows.
As cops heard more reports of shots fired, officers learned that a man was firing a flare from the back of his duplex window.
Cops tried to make contact with Yoo at his brick home, but he refused to answer the door and continued shooting flares, footage shows.
He fired more than 40 flares in about 25 minutes while barricaded inside.
For two hours, officers remained at the house. Neighbors told officers Yoo is “reclusive” and had recently covered his windows with black trash bags, tossed garbage into his backyard and covered the trees on his property with toilet paper, officials said.
After learning from relatives Yoo has a history of mental illness, police obtained a search warrant to recover any weapons inside the home, and more officers and negotiators arrived at the house. They told him to surrender, but Yoo refused.
Video shows an armored vehicle pull into the driveway and breach the front door. Several gunshots were heard from inside the home and officers at the scene can be ducking for cover. Police then deployed tear gas inside the home in the hopes Yoo would finally give up, but to no avail.
“James … I’m going to need you to come out slowly with your hands raised,” a cop yells towards the home in the video.
Just as police prepared to breach a window, the home suddenly exploded violently, sending debris flying in all directions.
After police confirmed all emergency responders were safe, cops can be seen pounding on neighbors’ doors and evacuating them. Yoo’s residence continued to burn.
The next day, remains belonging to Yoo were discovered where the house once stood. Investigators additionally found gasoline canisters, three guns, two flare guns, magazines, ammunition and spent flares at the scene.
Before his apparent suicide,Yoo reportedly posted on social media paranoid rants about his neighbors and a former co-worker on his now-disabled LinkedIn account.
He spread rambling and at times incoherent conspiracy theories against government officials, law enforcement, media outlets and his neighbors, whom he accused of being spies and collecting his personal information for unspecified handlers, CNN reported.
Yoo also filed lawsuits against his ex-wife, younger sister, a moving company and the New York Supreme Court for being committed to a hospital against his will. The suits were dismissed as frivolous.
