Suspect Arrested and Charged with Placing Pipe Bombs Outside RNC and DNC Headquarters in 2021
U.S. federal authorities arrested a Virginia man on Thursday and charged him with planting two pipe bombs outside top political parties’ headquarters in 2021.
Brian J. Cole, Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, is charged with transporting and planting two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) outside the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington, D.C., on 5 January 2021—the evening before a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on 6 January 2021.
The hunt to find the suspect lasted nearly five years, with the FBI even offering a reward of $500,000 at one point for any tips that helped lead to the arrest and conviction of a suspect.
“Let me be clear. There was no new tip. There was no new witness—just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work working as a team along with the ATF, Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police Department, and, of course, the FBI,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in a press conference announcing the arrest and charges.
Cole is in custody and is expected to make an initial court appearance in Washington, D.C., today. He also faces charges of transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce with the intent to kill or intimidate any individual or unlawfully to damage or destroy any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property, as well as attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials.
Takeaways from the Investigation
When the Trump administration took leadership of the DOJ, it placed FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino in charge of renewing the pipe bomb investigation.
“You’re not going to walk into our capital city, put down two explosive devices, and walk off into the sunset,” Bongino said at the press conference. “Not going to happen. We are going to track this person to the end of the earth. There was no way he was getting away. And we didn’t have to track him to the end of the earth. It wound up in Woodbridge—Woodbridge, Virginia.”
Bongino worked with the Washington Field Office and other agency partners to review collected evidence and sift through new data to identify a suspect. The result of this review were several new leads that helped push the investigation forward and were summarized in an indictment that was unsealed on Thursday.
First up was video surveillance footage from the evening of 5 January, which showed an individual wearing dark pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt, dark gloves, Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, and a face mask placing pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC. The individual was also wearing eyeglasses and was observed adjusting them during the footage.
Investigators also conducted a reverse projection photogrammetry examination—commonly known as a height analysis—of the individual to determine that the suspect was about 5 feet and 7 inches tall.
Additionally, investigators obtained cell site records associated with cell towers near the RNC and DNC on 5 January. They used those records to determine that a cellphone registered to Cole connected to the cell tower in that area and engaged in seven data sessions transactions between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. local time—the time frame that the individual placed the pipe bombs.
Investigators also looked at vehicle registrations in Cole’s name and found that he is the registered owner of a 2017 Nissan Sentra with a Virginia license plate. On 5 January 2021 at about 7:10 p.m., an individual drove that Nissan Sentra past a license plate reader placed at an interstate exit about a half-mile from where the pipe bombs were placed.
Their search then led them to Cole, who wears corrective glasses and is 5 feet and 6 inches tall, and works in the office of a bail bondsman in northern Virginia, according to the indictment.
Investigators then assessed Cole’s finances, including a review of one bank checking account and three credit cards’ transaction history. During 2019 and 2020, those accounts were used to purchase multiple items at physical locations that were consistent with components used to manufacture the pipe bombs placed outside the RNC and DNC. These included 1-inch by 8-inch galvanized pipe, black and galvanized end cap, kitchen timers, steel wool, and electrical components.
Even after the individual placed the pipe bombs on 5 January 2021, Cole’s accounts continued to be used to purchase components to make explosives, the indictment explained.
“Fortunately, these bombs did not explode, although they certainly could have,” said Darren B Cox, FBI assistant director in charge of the Washington Field Office. “But make no mistake, the alleged pipe bomber did terrorize our community.”
Investigators are continuing to execute search warrants related to the case and more charges could be forthcoming, Bondi said.
