He said he’d be back.
Hours later, prosecutors say a Maryland man returned with a gas can, set fire to an apartment’s only exit, and trapped four people inside, with Ring camera video capturing the terrifying moments.
The gas canister
Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office
The attack played out on Friday, April 4, 2025, at an apartment in Montgomery Village, where prosecutors say 36-year-old Rockville resident Robert Simms carried out an arson that nearly turned deadly.
According to court records, Simms had spent the night at the apartment before allegedly attempting to assault the woman who lived there.
After being told to leave, he returned around 10 a.m., kicked in the apartment’s front door, damaged the doorknob, and warned her he would be back…