Federal authorities arrested a northern Virginia man Thursday, accusing him of placing two pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021.
Attorney General Pam Bondi identified the suspect as Brian Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia. Cole was charged with use of an explosive device, and prosecutors said additional charges could be brought as the investigation continues. He is the first suspect arrested in the yearslong probe into the devices.
Court filings and officials at a news conference said Cole lives with family in Woodbridge and works in a bail bonds office. Prince William County Schools confirmed he graduated high school in 2013. Bondi said Cole was arrested early Thursday morning and that investigators were executing search warrants into the afternoon.
A probable cause affidavit by an FBI agent says Cole allegedly bought multiple items in 2019 and 2020 consistent with components used in the pipe bombs. Cellphone provider records cited in the affidavit place his phone near the DNC and RNC headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021, at the time surveillance footage shows the person who planted the devices. License plate reader data also reportedly placed Cole’s car less than half a mile from where that individual was seen on the footage.
The court documents do not reference the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, and Bondi declined to detail any possible motive, saying the inquiry is ongoing. She said the arrest stemmed from re-examining evidence already in the FBI’s possession rather than from a new tip. FBI Director Kash Patel said a team of experts reevaluated the evidence, obtained search warrants and executed them, leading to the arrest.
Federal authorities say the pipe bombs were built from 1×8-inch pipe, kitchen timers and homemade black powder and were placed outside the DNC and RNC headquarters the evening of Jan. 5. The devices did not detonate but were deemed viable and capable of causing death or injury.
The bombs were not discovered until the afternoon of Jan. 6, as police were overwhelmed by the riot at the U.S. Capitol. Then–vice president-elect Kamala Harris was evacuated from the DNC headquarters after the devices were found.
DNC Chair Ken Martin thanked law enforcement following the arrest, saying those responsible must be brought to justice and that political violence should never be accepted.
More than 1,500 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot in the years since Jan. 6, but the pipe bomb case remained unresolved. The FBI had previously released grainy security camera images of a hooded figure it called a potential suspect and offered a $500,000 reward for information. In May, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino said the investigation had drawn additional resources and was making progress.
Nick Kurtz and Kathryn Watson contributed to this report.