Sub Shop Explosion Update: Horace Thompson Court Date Pushed to July 31

The preliminary court date for Horace Thompson, the 25-year-old suspect in the February explosion at the Sub Shop restaurant in Lorton, has been continued to July 31.

Thompson has been declared by Fairfax County Police as an "associate" of Sub Shop owner Lawrence Reese. Reese and Thompson were both injured by the blast, which came from inside the sandwich shop, located at 9504 Richmond Hwy., at around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6. 

Thompson, whose hands and face were burned, is charged with arson of an occupied building and assault.

Investigators determined that the explosion was caused by gasoline and occurred inside the shop near a bathroom. 

No one else has been charged in connection with the case, although Reese later claimed that the incident was an accident.

• See Sub Shop Owner Linked to Explosion 
• See Reese's account of the Sub Shop explosion
• See Patch's coverage of the incident.  

"Statements from the suspect and business owner are inconsistent with the preliminary findings in this investigation and evidence at the scene," a warrant from police reads. 

Washington Metropolitan Police arrested Thompson on Feb. 14, after his release from the Washington Burn Center. 

Thompson's Record

Thompson, who has no fixed address, has had numerous brushes with the law over the years, including arrests for assault, gang participation, possession of marijuana and driving on a revoked license. 

Thompson was last arrested in July 2009 for posession of marijuana, and was released on a summons. He was given unsupervised probation.

In March 2008, he was found guilty of assault and sentenced to a year in jail (the sentence was suspended). The previous year he plead guilty to driving without a license, and has been charged numerous times for driving on a revoked license. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.