By Gao Yun
On Thursday, Dec. 4, the FBI arrested Brian Cole, a suspect accused of placing pipe bombs on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. The case, which has baffled federal authorities for nearly five years, is now considered a major breakthrough.
FBI Director Kash Patel told the New York Post that the investigative team during the Trump administration successfully identified the suspect using traditional policing methods without any public leads. This contrasts sharply with the Biden administration’s efforts, which offered a $500,000 reward but failed to make progress.
He said: “The FBI reviewed all available information, used new technology, and brought in experts from across the country to systematically compile the evidence needed to identify the suspect. This breakthrough didn’t come from new leads—it came from the FBI’s relentless effort.”
The case traces back to the night of Jan. 5, 2021. Surveillance footage shows that at 7:54 p.m., the suspect placed the first bomb outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) building, and about 22 minutes later, placed a second bomb near the Republican National Committee (RNC) office.
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Although police had images of the suspect, the footage only showed a blurry figure wearing a hoodie, mask, and gloves, estimated to be about 170 cm tall. Their identity and gender remained unknown for years.
The next day, the Capitol riot erupted, tying up police resources, which meant the devices were not discovered until the afternoon. Records indicate that then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had both passed very close to the areas where the devices were placed.
According to CBS, the investigation found that the bombs were made from 1×8 inch metal pipes, kitchen timers, and homemade black powder. Although they were not detonated, the FBI classified them as “functional explosives,” which could have caused serious casualties if triggered.
The suspect has now been formally charged with placing bombs near both party headquarters. Police are still investigating the motive, but sources say he had made statements related to anarchist ideology.
Ken Martin, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said after the arrest announcement: “Those responsible for this act of terror must be held accountable. The United States cannot tolerate political violence.”
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino led the investigation. At a press conference announcing the arrest, he said the breakthrough was made possible by President Trump’s clear directives for law enforcement. He stated: “This is what it feels like to work for a president who tells you, ‘Go catch the bad guys, don’t waste your energy on unrelated tasks.’”
Thursday morning, the FBI arrested the suspect at his home in Woodbridge, Virginia. Investigators subsequently collected evidence on-site and sealed off the block.
Although the FBI has arrested and charged hundreds of participants in the Jan. 6 riot over the past few years—1600 of whom were later pardoned by Trump—the suspect who placed the bombs had remained unidentified, making it one of the most critical and challenging unresolved cases from that day.
Patel noted that after taking office, he instructed his team to conduct a full review of the case from scratch. He said: “Previous leadership spent four years without progress. We redesigned the investigation strategy from the ground up, built the evidence chain, and executed the search warrant that ultimately brought this man to justice.”
