House Explosion in North Arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the family ok that shares the duplex with him? I can’t watch news with my kids close by

No injuries reported per ARLnow. I think I saw somewhere that the neighbors had been evacuated before the explosion.

My friend lives right by this-she confirmed that the other side of the duplex had been evacuated to a neighbors house. They are ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the family ok that shares the duplex with him? I can’t watch news with my kids close by

No injuries reported per ARLnow. I think I saw somewhere that the neighbors had been evacuated before the explosion.

My friend lives right by this-she confirmed that the other side of the duplex had been evacuated to a neighbors house. They are ok.

I’m glad they are ok. I kept staring at their snowman inflatable on their side of the duplex when the whole thing exploded. Can you imagine. One day, you’re decorating for Christmas. The next day, the deranged person who lives next to you blows up his house and yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Beyond weird how giddy this man is after just witnessing a horrible explosion.

Well, he went out with a bang!

[Anonymous]

We live in the area and were told the suspect has tin foil covering his windows. Apparently the house was up for sale a few years ago but he also chased off potential buyers with a knife.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the family ok that shares the duplex with him? I can’t watch news with my kids close by

No injuries reported per ARLnow. I think I saw somewhere that the neighbors had been evacuated before the explosion.

I also saw the report of no injuries but surely the suspect is??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the family ok that shares the duplex with him? I can’t watch news with my kids close by

No injuries reported per ARLnow. I think I saw somewhere that the neighbors had been evacuated before the explosion.

I also saw the report of no injuries but surely the suspect is??

The police report wording is strange, it does not mention the condition of the suspect (alive? hurt? in custody?)

"Police Issue Preliminary Statement on Home Explosion
ARLINGTON, Va. – 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."

[Anonymous]

Well I'm glad no one but the dangerous guy died.

That poor family next door. All of their stuff is gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I'm glad no one but the dangerous guy died.

That poor family next door. All of their stuff is gone.

Have you seen a report that the guy died?

[Anonymous]

NBC 4 saying suspect is unaccounted for.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/arlington-house-explodes-after-suspect-fires-flare-gun/3486492/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the family ok that shares the duplex with him? I can’t watch news with my kids close by

No injuries reported per ARLnow. I think I saw somewhere that the neighbors had been evacuated before the explosion.

My friend lives right by this-she confirmed that the other side of the duplex had been evacuated to a neighbors house. They are ok.

Thank you for this. I was assuming/hopeful that this was the case, that with the police presence and the gunfire, they evacuated the other side of the duplex before the explosion. Because if they were inside their home, they would've been blown up. How utterly scary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the family ok that shares the duplex with him? I can’t watch news with my kids close by

No injuries reported per ARLnow. I think I saw somewhere that the neighbors had been evacuated before the explosion.

I also saw the report of no injuries but surely the suspect is??

The police report wording is strange, it does not mention the condition of the suspect (alive? hurt? in custody?)

"Police Issue Preliminary Statement on Home Explosion
ARLINGTON, Va. – 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."

They will when to find pieces of him and do dna testing.

[Anonymous]

Interesting perspectives on mental illness exhibited in posts to this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So incredibly sad that this man didn’t get mental health treatment he so obviously needs . How did he get so many guns?

To clear the air:

This is a regular SFH/brick duplex neighborhood in Arlington a couple of blocks from the Ballston metro, near a popular trail, a big elementary school, a large community center, etc. About as low-crime, suburban kind of neighborhood as it gets, with those small, close-in lots.

There's no such thing as a "meth lab" in Arlington, lots are too small and rents are too high for there to be vacant properties like that. Small older houses sell for $850K in one week and are torn down to build $1.5M McMansions.

There is no evidence of any guns except the flare gun, so laws may have actually worked in this case. Signs point to natural gas as the source of the explosion.

Records show family (sister and ex-wife) had tried to get him mental health treatment, which is hard to do with an adult.

Calling him "racist against white people" is ridiculous. He was an untreated paranoid schizophrenic, he didn't have coherent thoughts, he thought anyone and everyone was out to get him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is terrifying. I am hoping everyone was out of the house and first responders are okay.

It was attached townhouse. Unlikely.

The neighbors in the attached duplex were not in the house.

[Anonymous]

His hatred was particularly directed against his ex-wife and other White people. You can be both a virulent racist and a paranoid schizophrenic at the same time.