The Arlington man suspected of causing an explosion at his Virginia home after firing more than 30 flares was a paranoid conspiracy theorist who believed the US government wanted to kill him, DailyMail.com has learned.
James Yoo is presumed dead after his property erupted in a fireball, police confirmed Tuesday. Human remains were found in the charred building.
His now-deleted LinkedIn account contained a series of bizarre rumors, including a recent December 1 post claiming his neighbors were spies intent on carrying out his assassination. He also called his ex-wife a “witch” and posted a series of anti-America posts on social media.
In his Linkedin profile he was described as the former Head of Information and Physical Security of an international telecommunications company.'
Yoo's name has now been officially released by Arlington County police after public records linked the longtime Virginia resident to the address where the explosion occurred late Monday night.
James Yoo, the Arlington man suspected of causing an explosion at his Virginia home, was a paranoid conspiracy theorist who believed the US government wanted to kill him, DailyMail.com has learned. He is believed to be dead
The house in Arlington, Virginia, exploded into flames during a standoff on Monday evening
Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn said at a news conference Tuesday, “Human remains have been found at the scene.
“The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will work to positively identify the individual, cause of death and manner of death.”
Yoo had previously communicated with the FBI through phone calls, online tips and letters. David Sundberg, the FBI's deputy director for Washington, said, “I would characterize these communications as primarily complaints about alleged fraud that he alleges was being committed against him.”
The 56-year-old, described by fellow North Burlington Street residents as a “loner”, believed locals were conducting surveillance operations on his home and passing information to US authorities.
“Jamie/Rosemary and Lance and her two children are spies and act as buffers that collect my information and then deliver it to their handlers,” Yoo wrote in the unhinged social media post.
He bizarrely claimed that they were “working with the witch and the alien” and plotting a “surprise attack” against him on December 7, the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The messages refer to his ex-wife as a “witch” and anti-American slogans, including “#F—AMERICA.”
He ranted, “This is how white people operate and have the luxury of outnumbering all other 'races' in 'Merica' by almost 7 to 1.”
Yoo has not provided evidence for his baseless allegations, but DailyMail.com can reveal that he has a long history of filing lawsuits against state and federal authorities.
He launched a case in New York in 2018 against family members, including ex-wife Stephanie, and Rochester General Hospital for allegedly holding him against his will.
But his lawsuit was dismissed by judges, who dismissed it as “frivolous.”
“The Court carefully reviewed each page of the plaintiff's submissions. “Plaintiff's complaint consists of misleading-sounding allegations mixed with other statements that appear more factual,” the court document said.
'Plaintiff believes that he is the victim of a conspiracy against him by his sister, his ex-wife and others, including RGH. For example, the plaintiff believes that his sister, ex-wife and RGH conspired to prevent him from obtaining an attorney.”
The blast set the house on fire in the Bluemont section of the city
Emergency services are trying to extinguish the fire while residents of the area have been evacuated or told to shelter in place
A flare lights up the darkening sky over Arlington, Virginia, Monday evening. The pyrotechnic material was shot from a gun by a man before the house exploded in a huge fireball as a SWAT team prepared to enter. The suspect remains missing
The judges dismissed his complaint, saying Yoo “apparently believes there is a connection between the alleged conspiracy, the terrorism of September 11, 2001, and the current investigation into the 2016 presidential election by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.”
Yoo had tried to contact Mueller, the court documents show, to warn him about those so-called links.
DailyMail.com can also reveal that his ex-wife Stephanie filed for divorce on March 30, 2017, citing “the irreparable breakdown of their relationship.”
She won a court ruling that certified their split in December the following year.
Yoo was told to pay her the sum of $80,000 and buy her out of her share of their now-destroyed former war home for the sum of $150,000.
The divorce documents make no mention of any custody arrangements, indicating the couple had no children.
A police spokeswoman said they came to execute a search warrant when the suspect, believed to be Yoo, fired 30 to 40 shots with the flare gun.
Emily Saxon, a 30-year-old nurse, said the explosion sounded like an “earthquake” and that the shock waves felt like “a car had crashed through my living room.”
Sam Kin, a 25-year-old counselor who lived next door to Yoo, filmed police trying to lure the 56-year-old out of the house.
He said the explosion was “traumatizing” after he was hit by the shock wave.
“I'm going to see my therapist right now,” Kim told DailyMail.com.
Sam Kin, a 25-year-old counselor who lived next door to Yoo, filmed police trying to lure the 56-year-old out of the house
The charred remains of the house are seen on Tuesday
People work on site after the fire explosion
Stunning video showed the house erupting, sending debris in all directions as a SWAT vehicle stood outside. The sky was lit bright orange as glowing particles from the explosion fell over the Virginia neighborhood.
Huge plumes of smoke cast a thick, dark fog over the street, obscuring parked cars and darkening the scene.
Neighbors said a man inside the house fired a flare before the explosion, although it is unclear why. Several bullets were reportedly shot from a weapon, after which the police were called, who quickly arrived on the scene.
After SWAT teams arrived, the unidentified person inside the duplex began shooting at officers, it is alleged. They prepared to enter the building, but it exploded in a massive explosion that sent debris and a fireball into the air.
No serious injuries were reported, although authorities said the fate of the suspect inside was unclear and he was unable to enter the home. The FBI has since joined the investigation to determine what exactly happened Monday night.
In their latest update, Arlington Police said, “On December 4 at approximately 4:45 p.m., Arlington County Police were dispatched to the 800 block of N. Burlington Street for the report of possible shots heard.
'The preliminary investigation showed that a suspect fired a flare gun approximately thirty to forty times from his home into the surrounding neighborhood. No property damage or injuries were reported in connection with the firing of the flare gun.
“During the investigation, officers obtained a search warrant at the suspect's home and attempted to contact the suspect by telephone and loudspeakers.
“The suspect was unresponsive and remained barricaded in the home. As officers attempted to execute the search warrant, the suspect fired several rounds, believed to be a firearm, into the home.
'An explosion then took place in the house at around 8.25 pm. The investigation into the circumstances of the explosion is still ongoing.
“Arlington County Fire Department responded to extinguish the fire. As of approximately 10:30 p.m., the fire is under control and crews continue to battle small fires.
“Three officers reported minor injuries and there were no transports to hospital in relation to this incident. The investigation is ongoing.”