Suspect Remains Hospitalized After Woodlawn Nail Spa Explosion
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A man is in serious condition after a fire he set caused an explosion Monday night at a Woodlawn nail salon, police said. Four officers and two EMS responders were injured in the blast.
Five of the six injured first responders were released from the hospital by Tuesday evening.
Baltimore County Officers responded shortly after 9:15 p.m. to the 1700 block of Rolling Road for a reported disturbance involving "a known individual," police said. There, they found a man who refused to leave the salon.
Police said the man did not respond to officers' commands and ran to the back of the store, where he started the fire that caused the explosion.
He appeared as though he was in a state of "emotional distress," authorities said.
Reggie Watson, who was in the strip mall parking lot at the time of the explosion, described the event as "out of control."
"Oh, my God. When I got the phone call, it was shocking. I was scared for my employees," Asad Qayam, co-owner of Legends, said.
The suspect remains in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The officers and other first responders injured suffered minor or non-life-threatening injuries. One officer remains hospitalized for observation, police said.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and a Howard County Fire and Rescue ignitable liquids detection K9 team assisted with processing the scene.
Charges will be pending for the suspect, police said.
Barber Mickey Coleman recalled having pleasant interactions with the suspect in the past.
"I thought he was a normal brother," Coleman said. "Normal guy that you see here. We're like a family here. We all kind of look out for each other."
