A residence in Arlington, Virginia, near the nation’s capital, was rocked by a big explosion during a police operation to execute a search warrant. The incident unfolded in a duplex where law enforcement officers were responding to reports of gunfire.
The duplex, located in the Bluemont neighborhood of north Arlington, was under investigation after initial reports of shots fired. Subsequently, the police discovered that the gunfire originated from a flare gun, prompting them to secure a search warrant for the residence.
As officers attempted to carry out the warrant, the suspect inside the home discharged multiple rounds before an explosive event unfolded just before 8:30 p.m. The blast resulted in the destruction of the home, sending flames and debris into the air. Fortunately, all officers escaped serious injury, although the fate of the suspect remains unclear, according to Ashley Savage, a spokesperson for the Arlington County, Virginia, police.
It is uncertain whether the rounds fired by the suspect were from a flare gun or a conventional firearm. While there is no evidence of additional individuals in the duplex, authorities cannot dismiss the possibility. The explosion’s shockwaves were felt miles away, with witnesses describing it as powerful enough to evoke thoughts of a plane crash.
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Residents like Carla Rodriguez, who heard the explosion from more than 2 miles away, were kept at a distance by police as they responded to the scene.
“I actually thought a plane exploded,” she said.
Bob Maynes, another local resident, initially thought a tree had fallen on his house due to the force of the explosion.
“I was sitting in my living room watching television and the whole house shook,” he said. “It wasn’t an earthquake kind of tremor, but the whole house shook.”
Arlington, situated across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., saw federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), joining local authorities in the investigation. As of now, the cause of the explosion remains unknown, with federal agents and fire investigators collaborating to determine the circumstances surrounding this alarming incident.
Watch the clip below.
Video of the explosion. Hope everyone was out of the house#Arlington #ballston @ARLnowDOTcom @RealTimeNews10 pic.twitter.com/JSZE7LkoTD
— c “” maj (@connormaj) December 5, 2023
