LinkedIn (James Yoo) James Yoo of Arlington, Virginia
James Yoo is the suspect accused in connection with the Arlington, Virginia, house that exploded in a massive fireball captured on a December 4 video, Arlington County’s police chief said in a news conference.
“We believe the resident of the home, James Yoo, 56, of Arlington, is the involved suspect,” Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn said in the December 5 news conference.
Penn said police believe human remains found in the home are Yoo’s, but medical examiner officials are still confirming the identity. “We are aware of concerning social media posts allegedly made by the suspect,” said Penn, who added that the suspect was in the residence at the time of the explosion and is “presumed to be deceased.”
According to Penn, police responded to the home around 4:45 p.m. December 4 after a report of a “possible shots fired incident.” He said police believe Yoo “discharged a flare type gun from the residence more than 30 times.” Authorities said the fire department turned off the gas to the home before the explosion occurred and said the cause and origin of the blast is still under investigation.
Yoo’s identity was first reported bythe local news site Arl Now. Yoo wrote a series of rambling social media posts on LinkedIn targeting his neighbors, according to the page reviewed by Heavy.
The house explosion was captured on dramatic video.
Arlington County Police Department wrote on X, “As officers were attempting to execute a search warrant at the residence, the suspect discharged several rounds inside the home. Subsequently, an explosion occurred at the residence and officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. James Yoo’s LinkedIn Page Contains Rants Against the FBI, CIA, His Neighbors & Says He Was a ‘Private Landlord’
LinkedInJames Yoo LinkedIn profile picture
Yoo’s LinkedIn page reads, “#DefundFBI #DefundCIA #DefundNSA PURGE ALL ‘NOC’s! PURGE ALL SPIES! (I) Independent … Happy Birthday America!”
Yoo “has been repeatedly posting paranoid screeds on his Linkedin account,” the Arl Now site also reported.
Under his name, the social media page reads, “James’ YouTube Channel UCCZA8Pe1U5fDqdbqJX_eZTA … ‘U.S. is the world’s biggest TERRORIST’ (N.Chomsky, ~2015) … ‘F*ck tha Police’ (Ice Cube w/ NWA) … #PURGE_THEM … Former Head Global Security w/ CFIUS experience.”
The LinkedIn page continues:
Over a decade of technology related experience including product development, project and program management, proven leadership, and precedent setting foresight and drive.
Over 18 years of property management experience as private landlord.
Experienced functional / department head seeks to contribute with a broad background and skill set including direct involvement with the CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) national security review process where I successfully led and managed Global Crossing’s (GC) technical and security team throughout the CFIUS process resulting in regulatory approval from the United States Government for Singapore Technologies Telemedia’s purchase of GC on or around late September 2003.
Skilled in Technology Product Development and Project Management, Risk Management, Business Process Improvement, and Microsoft Office tools.
Strong proven professional with a broad background and Bachelor of Science – BS focused in Information Resource Management from George Mason University – School of Business.
Yoo also wrote on LinkedIn that work he did in the early 1990s for a company in Crystal City, Virginia, supported “U.S. military contracts.” Yoo wrote that he graduated from George Mason University with a degree in information resource management and claims he was in an honor society there. He wrote that he also attended Northern Virginia Community College. Yoo claimed he volunteered to help with animal adoptions
The FBI’s David Sundberg said in the news conference that the FBI is investigating Yoo’s background, adding that Yoo had previously communicated with the FBI via phone calls and tips. They were mostly complaints about “alleged frauds he believed were perpetrated against him” but did not lead to any FBI investigations being opened, Sundberg said.
2. James Yoo Was Described as a ‘Recluse’ Who Put Aluminum Foil Over His Windows & Chased Potential House Buyers Away With a Knife
A neighbor who took the video of the house explosion told Arl Now that Yoo was “a recluse and said he had aluminum foil covering the windows.” That neighbor told Arl Now that the house was once for sale, but Yoo “chased would-be buyers off with a knife.”
On the LinkedIn page, Yoo wrote that he had worked as head of global information and physical security at a company in Rochester, New York, and was a senior program manager for a telecommunications company in Reston, Virginia.
He wrote that he was a project lead for a company in Washington, D.C., and claimed he was a systems engineer for a military systems division for a company in Herndon, Virginia.
3. James Yoo Wrote About His Neighbors’ Race on Social Media & Posted Their Photos
HOUSE EXPLOSION DURING BARRICADE SITUATION— 800 block of N. Burlington St in Arlington. EMS task force en route. News photos: @CursedMerc h/t @matthewyoung31 @HCBright10 cc: @ARLnowDOTcom
Yoo also posted lengthy rants making accusations against his neighbors, including, “her two children are spies and act as buffers; collecting my information; and then delivering to their handlers. This is how the Ruling Class stays anonymous using buffers and handlers to absorb digital ID.”
He wrote about his neighbors’ weight and added, “This is how White people operate and have the luxury of outnumbering all other races by almost 7 to 1 in Merica.” In addition to their names, the post contains photos of the neighbors. The post was made three days before the house explosion.
One video shows a flare shooting out of the house before it exploded on December 4, 2023.
According to Arl Now, the explosion occurred in the Bluemont neighborhood “after a police standoff.”
In a press release, Arlington County Police wrote:
At approximately 4:45 p.m. on December 4, the Arlington County Police Department was dispatched to the 800 block of N. Burlington Street for the report of possible shots heard. The preliminary investigation indicated a suspect discharged a flare gun approximately 30 – 40 times from inside his residence into the surrounding neighborhood. No property damage or injuries were reported related to the discharge of the flare gun.
During the course of the investigation, officers obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s residence and attempted to make contact with the suspect over the telephone and through loudspeakers. The suspect did not respond and remained barricaded inside the residence. As officers were attempting to execute the search warrant, the suspect discharged several rounds, from what is believed to be a firearm, inside the home. Subsequently, at approximately 8:25 p.m., an explosion occurred at the residence. The investigation into the circumstances of the explosion are ongoing.
The Arlington County Fire Department responded to the scene to extinguish the fire. As of approximately 10:30 p.m., the fire is under control and crews continue to battle small spot fires.
Three officers reported minor injuries and there were no transports to the hospital related to this incident. The investigation is ongoing.
According to Penn, police tried to communicate with Yoo to execute the warrant, but this was not successful.
“At this point, officers experienced what is believed to be multiple gunshots from a firearm coming from the dwelling,” Penn said. They continued to try to engage with the suspect he said.
According to Penn, officers then started to deploy what he described as non-flammable chemical munitions into the residence. This was designed to “cause irritation” in hopes he would surrender.
4. Other Videos Captured the Moment the Arlington Home Exploded Into a Fireball
🚨 House in Arlington, Virginia explodes after police reportedly approached it with a search warrant
Arl Now reported that the explosion took place at a duplex as police “moved in” with a “SWAT armored vehicle.” Authorities said in the December 5 news conference that about 10 homes were affected by the explosion.
Police also told the news site that the suspect, who was not named, “fired shots as officers tried to enter the home” right before the residence exploded.
Video showed law enforcement at the home before the explosion, with an officer ordering the suspect to come out with his hands up. The house then exploded, the video shows.
A man named Jim Mathews wrote on X, when asked what he saw, “Looked like flares being fired off. Large red fire ball (with “tail”) just above tree line heading west. Would last 15-20 secs. Several in a mater of 5 mins or so. About 5 mins before I posted.”
5. James Yoo Once Filed a ‘Frivolous & Confused’ Lawsuit Against His Ex-Wife, Reports Say
Certified Fire Investigators are ready and on scene to support our law enforcement partners @ArlingtonVaFD and @ArlingtonVaPD during this active fire scene. #WeAreATF #ATF
According to Fox News, Yoo also had a YouTube page that contained “silent videos showing court filings from some of his failed lawsuits.” Police said in the news conference that the only contact they had with Yoo were noise complaints.
Fox News reported that Yoo previously “tried to sue his ex-wife, the state of New York and more than a dozen others, alleging fraud, conspiracy to deprive him of civil rights and other charges.” However, the case was dismissed with a federal judge calling the lawsuit “frivolous and confused,” Fox News reported.
The ATF wrote on X, “Certified Fire Investigators are ready and on scene to support our law enforcement partners @ArlingtonVaFD and @ArlingtonVaPD during this active fire scene. #WeAreATF #ATF ATF on fire scene.”
Arlington County Police also wrote on X, “UPDATE: @ArlingtonVaFD is on scene working to extinguish the fire at the home. Media staging is in the 800 block of N. Edison Street.”
They added: “Officers on scene reported minor injuries with no one transported to the hospital. @ArlingtonVaFD continues to work to extinguish the fire.” Arlington Fire and EMS wrote on X, “Update: Fire is under control, crews continue to battle small spot fires. Units remaining on scene for an undetermined amount of time.”
That agency earlier wrote, “#Breaking: Units are on scene of a structure fire on the 800 block of N Burlington St. Expect a large fire dept and police response. Avoid the area if possible.”
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