Portsmouth Police: Man charged with arson held samurai sword

Threatened to burn down estranged wife’s home

Posted 4/22/19

PORTSMOUTH — An elderly man brandished a samurai sword after threatening to burn down his estranged wife’s home on Sunday, April 21, according to police. 

According to …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Portsmouth Police: Man charged with arson held samurai sword

Threatened to burn down estranged wife’s home

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — An elderly man was holding a samurai sword when police arrived to investigate a report he had threatened to burn down his estranged wife’s home on Sunday, April 21, according to police. 

According to Detective Sgt. Khatu P. Khubchandani, Portsmouth Police officers responded to 182 Armando Drive around 8:15 p.m. Sunday after receiving a report that a 75-year-old man had violated a no-contact order and broke into the residence through a glass window.  

“The victim and a friend arrived home and observed the suspect, Chong Yoon, who is the victim’s estranged husband, to be pouring gasoline on the floor (and) threatening to set the house on fire,” Sgt. Khubchandani said in a prepared statement.

When officers arrived, they found Mr. Yoon holding a samurai sword, police said.

“Officers gave instructions to drop the sword. However, Yoon attempted to run and had to be restrained,” Sgt. Khubchandani said.

Mr. Yoon was charged with fifth-degree domestic arson, domestic breaking and entering, resisting arrest, and violating a protective order. 

He was transported to Newport Hospital by the Portsmouth Fire Department due to injuries sustained before his arrest, police said.  He was arraigned Monday in 2nd District Court.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.