FBI identifies Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect almost 5 years later - National & International News - THU 4Dec2025 -

On January 5, 2021, the night before Congress was to convene to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, a man was captured in grainy surveillance footage placing two pipe bombs. One of the bombs was placed near the Republican National Committee headquarters and the other near the Democratic National Committee headquarters. These buildings are not far from the US Capitol building. The pipe bombs did not go off but investigators have said the explosives were “viable”. When they were found the following day, the discovery drew away law enforcement from the US Capitol, which came under siege from thousands of supporters of Donald Trump.

During the Biden administration, the FBI pursued leads to identify the bomber, but none panned out. Now the FBI and federal prosecutors in Washington, DC, have identified a suspect. They have arrested a 30-year-old man named Brian Cole, Jr. Cole, who is Black, lives in a leafy Virginia suburb of DC with his mother and other family members. He works in a bail bondsman’s office and neighbors have described him as a quiet man who kept to himself and could often be seen walking his chihuahua. Little more is known of Cole at this time.

Investigators have not spoken publicly about a motive, if any is known. However, they say Cole was identified by investigators taking a fresh look at existing evidence and pursuing new forensic leads.

President Trump has pardoned over 1,500 people who were involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol building. This includes at least one person accused of deploying an explosive device in a battle with Capitol police.

DOJ asks judge to re-jail Jan. 6 rioter Trump pardoned after other threatening behavior.