Authorities arrested 30-year-old Brian Cole Jr. on Thursday in connection with two pipe bombs left outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee offices on Jan. 5, 2021, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said. Cole made his first court appearance Friday and did not enter a plea.
Pirro told ABC News that Cole told investigators he was “disappointed” by aspects of the 2020 election. She said it is unclear whether he favored former President Donald Trump or President Joe Biden, and described him as having targeted both parties rather than a single side.
Investigators focused on a distinctive pair of Nike Air Max Turf sneakers seen in surveillance footage. Pirro said Cole acknowledged owning those shoes and said he discarded them after placing the devices. While Pirro declined to say whether Cole offered a full confession, she said the prosecution has a strong case based on video, forensic evidence, physical items, receipts and cellphone data.
Authorities reviewed roughly 3 million pieces of data in the investigation, Pirro said, and cellphone pings corroborated the locations and times shown in video of the person who left the devices. She told reporters the totality of the evidence makes it “unmistakable” who the suspect is and that the government can meet the burden of proof.
Investigators will continue executing search warrants and collecting additional information, Pirro added, and she emphasized that the facts and evidence will be presented as the case proceeds.