On June 20th, 2025, Lynon police in Louisville, Kentucky were called by hotel staff over Leonard Brandon Pitchford, who refused to leave his room. Brandon was known to police from a similar previous incident where intact explosives were found in his room after his arrest. Knowing this information, officers approached the situation carefully. >> We haven't got that far. Really? We haven't We haven't got that. >> He's got a cord through the luggage >> on the door. >> Okay. >> I was on the phone with dispatch while ago and checked in. He doesn't have any warrants right now. >> No. Okay. >> So then if that's the case, the only thing we can really do is just a knock and talk. >> Well, I mean he's >> at this point the room is ours for tonight. >> So the question becomes what are you going to do or authorized to do to open the door? >> Right. We do. We have bolt cutters. >> It's pop metal though. It pops off. >> Oh, it does. Okay. >> He's got a bowl on there, but he's got a it looks like a cord off of a light or something through that. You can see it when we crack the door open. >> If I could reach in, but if he's in there, I'm scared he will slam the door on my hand. >> Considering the amount of you need any gohead, >> he has towels down in the door as well. >> Has anybody had interaction with him? >> Just on the elevator. >> On the elevator. And then I went to his room cuz he couldn't get his air running. So I went back up the elevator with him and told him not to come in the room with me. I said, "I'll make your air works for you. Come in there. I want you come into a hot room, right?" >> Cuz all the stuff was still in the hallway. Yeah. >> He was telling me how he had been to the cemetery to see his mom and dad and they moved his mom's headstone grave and everything because of a government security thing. They put the grass back when it wasn't normal. They made him leave him to go get psychiatric help. He's like, "You believe they told me they threw me out the cemetery?" I was like, "Never. Stay outside the room." That was Wednesday afternoon. So we can go try to knock on the door, see if he's going to open it and talk to us. >> But we got nothing on. >> If and when he doesn't open the door, what do you all want to do then? >> Uh just frankly. >> No, I mean what steps are you going to take to get the door open? >> Break it down. >> Break it down is the only way for another day. >> Well, he hasn't paid for it. >> He didn't pay for it. We had his wallet and stuff. He needs to come down and recheck him. >> Was there a way to know if he retrieved the message off the phone? >> His phone's here. It's okay. No, I mean the hotel phone. >> Okay. No, >> did you hear that? They just if he doesn't open the door, they want to break it down to get him out. >> They can do what they want to do. >> I need to reiterate that we'll be there with him while he we'll be we'll be there to make them safe. >> Okay. >> So, if it comes to a force, it would have to be you all doing the force to open the door. >> We can stand by, >> okay, >> and make sure that nothing bad happens after that. But we can't do that for you. I'm sorry. >> You seem to be at bomb making stuff. >> You know, I got him last time. >> Should we be knocking the door down >> considering he's got something strung through the lock? >> Well, the only reason we dealt with him last time was there was a warrant for his arrest. >> Yes. >> And then we discovered all that after the fact. We have no indication that he has that stuff here. We didn't have indication of it last time either. >> I was just thinking since he has something strung through the door latch. >> Well, is it was it like a wire or what? >> Plug the lamp. Yeah, it's like you can see the the plug. >> So, like I say, when it comes to breaking the door, it's >> y'all's call. >> I guess let's try the first then. See if we can >> We'll do a knock and talk. >> Yep. >> Go from there. >> Okay. >> And then if we need to escalate it. >> Yeah. We knocked and then we open the door and answer anything. >> No. And we were really loud cuz we opened the door and then spoke inside of the room >> and and nobody responded. You can only hear the TV on. >> We'll just hang out for a minute. We'll go up there. We'll go do a knock talk. If nothing, we'll come back down. >> Sounds good. You know the roof number? >> 307. >> So if you see a red Honda Civic with expired plates and 2006, >> I think the guy's name was Wes that owns the car. >> He's the friend that owns the car, not the guy we're supposed to. >> That was the Bristol. >> Yeah. >> Try calling him by name. Brandon. Brandon. Brandon. >> After about two minutes of unanswered knocking, an officer goes downstairs to inform hotel staff so they can break down the door. Is >> that something? >> Sound like TV if anything. >> Brandon, come open the door. >> Um, you guys got scissors? Okay. Uh we'll put one y'all up there too. He's not coming to the door. So if he's got the cord, if y'all want to cut the cord and we'll just get the door down, too. And then at this point, it's just we need you guys to go and open the door and everything. We'll be good. >> Okay, let's do that. >> Put a mail down in front of the Walgreens at 949 Shelbyville Road. Not moving. >> Should I ask if Jtown can make that one or >> send it to Metro? >> Could you request Metro respond to that until we can clear from this? Okay, right here. >> When people lock the doors on accident, I usually reach in, turn the light on, reach up there and feel and see what I've got going on to know how to put this in. >> I say we break it. It's just a little plastic part. We place it is not a big deal as opposed to risking putting my hand in and you never know. At least inside. >> Okay. I mean, whichever cost the least amount of money. >> Yeah. I'm not worried about worry about >> Brandon, come open the door. >> Somebody respond. >> The only thing I could hear is possibly a TV. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's what it is. >> 5145. Show us at 2605 Street, apartment 101. No came in there. It's going to be hard. >> Hello. Back up. Back up. >> Randy, Brandon, open the door. >> 582 radio. >> 582. Go ahead. >> Management tried to open the door. There's been some type of small incendiary device go off. Go ahead and start fire this way, but have them staged in the parking lot next door. >> Start Metro's hazardous devices. >> Also, start Metro's hazardous unit. >> Come to the door. >> The door. >> Police. >> Come out with your hands up. >> Come out with your hands up. >> Are you hurt? Open the door. >> Get the door open. When you come out, you need to have empty hands. Empty hands. >> Let me see your hands. >> Hands up. Get up. [Applause] >> Get off the ground. >> Down. All the way down. >> Get off the ground. Hands behind your back. Hands behind your back. Both of them. Both of them. >> Lay still. >> Down. Down. >> On the ground. >> Hold on. Get on the ground. >> Give me your hand. >> We got active fire. >> Put it back. >> What? >> Put your hands behind your back. >> I don't have a radio. I don't have a radio. >> Fire extinguisher. Fire extinguisher. Fire extinguisher. >> Stop moving. >> Yep. We'll get you away from this door after you're handcuffed. >> I'll let you set up. Okay. I can't breathe. >> Sit on your butt. >> Breathe. >> Sit on your butt. Okay. Scoot this one. Are there any explosives in there? What else is in there? >> I need ambulance. >> What else is in there? Are there any explosives in there? William, sit down on your ass right now. Sit down. >> Sit down. Yay. Y. >> I can't freaking hold her right now. Okay, good. >> Please help me breathe. My diaphragm. >> What else is in that room? >> What was that off? Careful, careful, careful. >> In the corner. In the corner. >> I can't breathe. >> What? Exploded. >> I can't. >> What was the smoke from? >> Post incident reports indicate that there are two other intact explosive devices in the room. Officers were not aware of that information at the time. >> Start fire. >> Start fire. Start fire. Sit down. Start fire. We need fire to respond into the building. >> Subject 15, but we need respond. Fire out. Pull out. Pull out. Pull out. >> There's more people on this floor that need to get out. >> Get everyone out. >> Start evacuating your people. >> Oh, there's smoke. Can we get away from this smoke? >> No. >> Is there an accident? >> Says there is. >> He gave a blanket. >> Naked. >> All right. >> I'm seriously having a reaction. This >> tell me what was it? >> You did it. What is it? >> I take the >> Tucker. >> The voices made me do it. The voices. >> How long the voices been telling you to do that? Ever since I started trying to 3 days ago. >> Here, we're wrapping up downstairs. We're going down the steps. >> Walk. Walk. Walk. Stay standing up and walk. We got this hell. Please. Please. No. My privates. >> Wait a minute. Come around this corner. >> Tell Miranda. Miranda, what are you doing? >> Is playing a smoke inhalation? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Walk this way. >> Thank you. >> Going to that shade tree right there. >> Okay. >> Stand up. So that helps you breathe. >> Yes, sir. That was too much pressure on my diaper. They have water at my further. >> Wait a little closer. >> Radio. A portable fire extinguisher was used, but we cannot guarantee the fire is completely out. It's heavy smoke in the room and in the hallway. We have the patient outside in the parking lot. The 10:15 that EMS needs to examine. The hotel staff is trying to evacuate. >> Andy, upstairs you my eye doctor told me he designed these eyes. I could put a laser pointer on them. Dr. Eiff, I saw him at Ul just the other day. They took my eyes. Millions of people watch me through these eyes. Check the data. Check the Google Toronto right now. >> Google at Toronto. >> Alex will know. >> Hey, you know what would help you feel better? >> Stop talking and just stop talking. >> They're going to nail me if I don't get this information out. >> They took three phones of mine today in my bathroom. I couldn't call anybody for help. All three phones. I emailed President Clinton several times and the director of the Secret Service and WDRBNW 11 at Carter Journal. They never should have took my natural eyes. Check Facebook Grinder. There's videos of these under IR light. They look like cord olives. They're awful. They're disgusting. That's why little girl called me an alien the other day. And you have little boys dancing at my breakfast table doing strip dances. A 12-year-old and then an 8-year-old and nobody to help me deal with that. >> No, thank you. I'm a good person. You wouldn't be here in the first place. >> What was that device that exploded? >> Fifth. >> What? >> Fifth? >> I don't know what you're saying. >> Fifth. >> Fifth. >> Fifth. Oh, you plead the fifth. >> I'm doing it to charge you with something. I need to know if it's going to be hazardous to to my people. >> And they won't let me have an attorney. My attorney is a computer scientist. So said he. I had to get him $2,500 without a Kentucky State Bar accreditation. >> I want a real PSD accredited by the state bar in the real court of law with the KRS statute or federally. I have that all the evidence I >> You need to go all the way. All the way. >> They probably had him go do a stripes for me. They let me get [ __ ] in 3 years just like trying every day. Let's walk over to this ambulance. >> Where the fire is? >> 307. 307. >> Stop there. He had himself locked in the room. The maintenance people tried to open the door. There was some type of flash. Heavy smoke was in the room. You won't tell us what it was. >> Yeah, we're all good. >> Slow down. >> I just don't know if you want the truck right there. >> Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. >> Scared. >> Okay. I feel like your breath >> cuz you I can't catch my breath >> cuz you're breathing all crazy. Slow down. >> Listen, that's EMS. We're trying to help you. >> Slow and easy. >> I said you ain't >> You ain't got no singing or nothing. Nothing in your mouth. So, you're good. >> Did you sir? >> Yeah, you're good. You need to slow down. >> You're okay. >> Dr. Patrick, the one that builds all my implants. Can he make me >> the hospital? >> What implants? >> I got thousands in my body. >> My eyes replaced them. >> A 2-year-old can see my eyes. >> I get people throw my personal life in my face every day. >> Is he the one that blows up stuff? >> I don't bl I'm amazed you're out again. He is handcuffed behind the back >> because you clear all mental illness apart from adjustment disorder. I've got the paperwork. >> Brandon, listen. Listen. I'm going to unhook one of these handcuffs, but we're going to your front. Do not resist and do not pull away. >> Plank across the street off North. Yeah, >> it was small. We used the portable extinguisher devices. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Put your arm like put your leg straight. >> There you go. >> After his arrest, a $200,000 cash bond was set. He was charged with one count of thirdderee use of a weapon of mass destruction and 43 counts of first-degree want and endangerment where each count pertains to the occupants in the hotel who were at risk of injury from the explosion. After news of his arrest broke out, one previous neighbor to Brandon spoke to reporters about his past behavior. >> It's just been 7 years of being held hostage in your house. He would come out and stand on the deck screaming and yelling and cussing. I mean, it just got to the point nobody could ever let their kids out to play. He had all these propane tanks and stuff. We were waiting for any of those to ignite and the police officers are doing everything they can do. And now it's time for our courts to do something. >> Lorie also shared with news that she witnessed Brandon walk down his driveway fully nude. >> Put him in a hospital and have him evaluated. >> Court footage obtained during Brandon's plea hearing sparked controversy. He >> is charged. >> No. Letter, please don't say anything today. Okay. Despite Brandon making those statements, a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. That's >> because I was mentally incompetent. >> This footage along with his disorganized comments during arrest are very typical signs of persecuto, grandiose, and specifically for Brandon. Somatic delusions or strong false beliefs about one's own body. His actions and speech are commonly displayed by those with severe cases of schizophrenia. Countless posts from Brandon's social media suggest this has been an ongoing problem. What? My bionic eyes. You look at my scary as alien eyes. Synthetic biology modeled after aliens. They're rats. I look like an owl eye. No wonder people are scared to death of me. I probably would be, too. I don't know that I'm even a human anymore. No wonder I get treated like a zoo animal. It's starting to make sense. I bet your eye doesn't look like that. And I bet you can't hold a laser pointer in it. At his next court date on September 30th, 2025, a competency report may deem Brandon unfit for trial and send him to a state psychiatric facility until he is restored to competency. If he fails to reach competency, he will likely go to the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center indefinitely. His release would be dependent on psychiatric and judicial approval. If competency is restored or if the report suggests he is competent on September 30th and he is found guilty, he faces 5 to 10 years for using a weapon of mass destruction and 1 to 5 years for each count of want and endangerment. Kentucky Law Cap's class C felony sentences to a maximum consecutive prison term of 20 years unless his record shows he committed multiple prior felonies. In that case, the persistent felony offender statute could extend his sentence to last the rest of his life.