How Law Enforcement Tracked Down Man Accused in DC Pipe Bomb Case 

A Virginia man has been arrested and accused of placing pipe bombs outside the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters in the District of Columbia on Jan. 5, 2021.  

Neither of the pipe bombs went off, but for nearly five years authorities have searched unsuccessfully for the man responsible for the attempted bombing. It was ultimately “good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work,” that resulted in the man’s arrest, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.  

Brian Cole Jr., 30, was arrested at his parents’ home where he lived in Woodbridge, Va., on Thursday. He has been charged with transporting and planting an explosive devise, but more charges could be added, according to Bondi.  

“Today’s arrest happened because the Trump administration has made this case a priority,” Bondi said, going on to criticize the Biden administration’s FBI failing to get to the bottom of the case.  

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, and the FBI worked together to look at the evidence, find, and arrest Cole, according to Bondi.  

“The investigation into the pipe bombs in Washington, D.C. has been a high priority since Deputy Director [Dan] Bongino and I assumed our roles nine months ago,” FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday.  

“Since that time, our FBI teams have gone back over every fact and every data point looking for new leads—and today’s arrest is the result of that outstanding work,” Patel said.  

Evidence Leading to Cole’s Arrest 

According to the Justice Department, in 2019 and 2020, “Cole purchased multiple components consistent with those used to manufacture the two [improvised explosive devices] at several retailers in Northern Virginia.”  

On the day the pipe bombs were placed at the two locations in Washington, video surveillance captured the suspect “wearing dark pants, a gray hooded sweatshirt, dark gloves, Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, and a facemask that obscured the person’s face. The video showed the individual adjusting eyeglasses and carrying a backpack,” according to the DOJ.  

On the evening of Jan. 5, 2021, a license place reader captured Cole’s car about half a mile from the location where one of the pipe bombs was placed, and around the same time, cellphone towers picked up communications from Cole’s phone near the RNC and DNC.  

A motive in the case has not been announced.