Brian Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Va., is in custody in the nearly five-year probe tied to devices planted near party offices.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. — The FBI arrested Brian Cole Jr. on Thursday morning in connection with pipe bombs planted outside the Democratic and Republican national committee headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021, officials said. Cole, 30, was detained in Prince William County and is expected to be presented in federal court in Washington later in the day.
The arrest follows years of appeals for help and repeated releases of surveillance footage showing a masked person moving through the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Investigators said the bombs, found on Jan. 6, 2021, were capable of exploding, prompting evacuations and a large police response as Congress met to certify the 2020 election. The identification of a suspect closes a gap that fueled speculation about who planted the devices and how they fit into the broader security crisis around the Capitol attack.
Officials described a careful timeline built from private and public cameras, placing the suspect near the DNC around 7:54 p.m. and the RNC around 8:16 p.m. on Jan. 5. The person wore a gray hoodie, gloves and face covering and carried a backpack. Footage captured distinctive athletic shoes, which agents highlighted in later appeals. The bombs were discovered the next afternoon near the RNC on First Street SE and the DNC on South Capitol Street SE. Bomb technicians rendered the devices safe and sent components to federal labs for analysis. No injuries were reported, though nearby streets and buildings were cleared while police and federal teams worked.
Authorities did not immediately release charging documents or a motive. It was not clear whether anyone else would face charges. Investigators said the arrest capped a review of thousands of hours of video, device forensics and retail and purchase records tied to items like piping, wiring and timers. The bureau kept a reward of up to $500,000 in place through multiple public pushes, including new video released this fall. Agents also re-canvassed businesses on Capitol Hill to retrieve higher-resolution clips and previously overlooked angles as technology improved.
The devices added strain to a region already under pressure on Jan. 6, 2021. The discoveries drew officers from local and federal agencies while the Capitol complex faced a breach by rioters. In later years, congressional inquiries and watchdog reviews cited the bombs as a complicating factor for command and control that day. The sites of the bombs sit a short walk from the Capitol dome in a dense area of offices, rowhouses and parking lots that provide many routes in and out, a challenge investigators acknowledged as they worked to map the path of the suspect.
Thursday’s arrest moves the matter from the street to the courtroom. Prosecutors are expected to outline probable cause at an initial appearance, including any device fingerprints, DNA or digital traces. A judge will decide whether Cole remains in custody while the case proceeds. If a criminal complaint is filed, a preliminary hearing date would follow. If an indictment is already returned, an arraignment would be scheduled soon after. Officials said further updates would come in public filings and at a planned briefing once the first hearing ends.
On Capitol Hill, staffers who remember the evacuations said the news brought relief and questions. “We have waited a long time for this,” said Marcus Lane, who worked in a nearby office in 2021 and recalled officers moving people behind barricades. A resident who lives near the DNC building said she still takes a different route on evening walks. “You do not forget the lights and the tape,” said Renee Collins. Business owners said investigators visited repeatedly over the years to copy footage as systems were upgraded. “They never stopped asking,” said a deli manager whose cameras face South Capitol Street.
Officials said more information about the charges and evidence would be released in Washington later Thursday. The FBI said the broader review of tips continues as agents check whether any additional people played a role. A detention decision and the next court date are expected within days.
Author note: Last updated December 4, 2025.