FBI arrests Virginia man over pipe bombs tied to Capitol riot

Arrest in pipe-bomb case

Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old man from Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested by the FBI on Thursday in connection with a nearly five-year investigation into who planted two pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters the night before the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. He faces two federal explosives charges and is expected to appear before a federal judge the following day.

Arrest details

The arrest occurred Thursday morning. Law enforcement lined a cul-de-sac and examined a home Cole reportedly lived in, with two people in white hazmat suits bending over and examining something in the street, and others wearing FBI jackets in the backyard.

Case status

The yearslong investigation is ongoing; agents are still executing search warrants and more charges could be brought. Neither DOJ officials nor charging documents detailed why he allegedly targeted both the Democratic and Republican political headquarters.

Evidence tying Cole to the bombs

Court documents link Cole to the bombs through phone data tied to cell towers around the Capitol Hill neighborhood; calls and texts matched security footage time stamps showing movements the evening the devices were planted. Investigators also traced Cole's credit cards and purchases in 2019 and 2020 that align with components used to make the explosive devices, including six galvanized pipes, protective gloves, eye goggles, batteries and kitchen timers.

Additional findings

Cole's car was captured on a license plate reader less than a half mile from where the bomber first appears in surveillance video. Until Thursday, the bomber had been seen only in grainy surveillance video shrouded in a hoodie, gloves and a face mask. The bombs were discovered 15 hours after placement. The FBI had offered a $500,000 reward for information. Investigators examined tens of thousands of video files, hundreds of tips, and cell phone tower data. Investigators also examined data on Nike Air Max sneakers sold around that time, noting fewer than 25,000 were sold.

Official statements

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Thursday that there was an “aha moment.” Dan Bongino, described as an ally of the president and now deputy director of the FBI, said a breakthrough helped investigators identify the man they believe is the pipe bomber.