Trump FBI, DOJ announce arrest of pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole

A suspect in attempted pipe bombings in Washington, D.C., has been arrested after remaining at large for nearly five years as an investigation into his motives continues.  

United States Attorney General Pam Bondi discussed the details during a press conference at the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters Thursday alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro and other law enforcement officials to announce that Brian Cole Jr. was arrested early Thursday morning in connection with the placement of pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee in January 2021. 

“We were going to track this person to the end of the Earth,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “We didn’t have to track him to the end of the Earth” because “he wound up in Woodbridge, Virginia.”

Woodbridge is located 23 miles from Washington, D.C. 

“He has been charged with violating 18 USC 844, which is use of an explosive device,” Bondi said. Pirro clarified that Cole was arrested for “transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce” and “the attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.” If convicted under the statute mentioned by Bondi, Cole could face up to 10 years in prison on the former charge and between five and 20 years behind bars for the latter charge. 

Stressing that “this investigation is ongoing,” Bondi added that Cole could face additional charges in connection with the crime. The press conference did not provide details on the suspect’s motives. 

Bondi insisted that Cole’s arrest was made possible based on existing information that the DOJ had in its possession for “four long years,” suggesting that the Biden administration opted not to prioritize the case due to political reasons: “There was no new tip, there was no new witness, just good diligent police work and prosecutorial work.”

“When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation’s capital, you attack the very being of our way of life, and this FBI and this Department of Justice stand here to tell you that we will always refute it and combat it,” Patel vowed. “We will provide the safest country the nation has ever seen under President Trump’s leadership.” 

Cole’s arrest comes nearly five years after surveillance footage showed an individual wearing a face mask, gray hoodie and Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes dropping off pipe bombs near the headquarters of both the DNC and the RNC between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2021. The explosives were discovered the following day, which coincided with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot that ended up dominating the headlines for several months and years thereafter. 

While the explosives did not go off, they contained wiring that appeared to be attached to a timer. As Patel explained, the explosives were designed to “blow up multiple people and multiple officials” as well as “innocent civilians.” 

The criminal complaint against Cole, filed Thursday, provided additional information about the suspect. The charging document alleges that Cole, 30, “purchased multiple items consistent with the components that were used to manufacture the pipe bombs” throughout 2019 and 2020. 

Additional evidence that led to the identification of Cole as the alleged suspect, as laid out in the criminal complaint, included cell phone records demonstrating that he was in the vicinity of where the pipe bombs were dropped off at the relevant times on Jan. 5, 2021, and his ownership of a 2017 Nissan Sentra that was seen near the scene of the crime. At the time of his arrest, Cole lived with his parents inside a single-family home and worked in the office of a bail bondsman. 

A suspect in attempted pipe bombings in Washington, D.C., has been arrested after remaining at large for nearly five years as an investigation into his motives continues.  

United States Attorney General Pam Bondi discussed the details during a press conference at the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters Thursday alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro and other law enforcement officials to announce that Brian Cole Jr. was arrested early Thursday morning in connection with the placement of pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee in January 2021. 

“We were going to track this person to the end of the Earth,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “We didn’t have to track him to the end of the Earth” because “he wound up in Woodbridge, Virginia.”

Woodbridge is located 23 miles from Washington, D.C. 

“He has been charged with violating 18 USC 844, which is use of an explosive device,” Bondi said. Pirro clarified that Cole was arrested for “transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce” and “the attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.” If convicted under the statute mentioned by Bondi, Cole could face up to 10 years in prison on the former charge and between five and 20 years behind bars for the latter charge. 

Stressing that “this investigation is ongoing,” Bondi added that Cole could face additional charges in connection with the crime. The press conference did not provide details on the suspect’s motives. 

Bondi insisted that Cole’s arrest was made possible based on existing information that the DOJ had in its possession for “four long years,” suggesting that the Biden administration opted not to prioritize the case due to political reasons: “There was no new tip, there was no new witness, just good diligent police work and prosecutorial work.”

“When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation’s capital, you attack the very being of our way of life, and this FBI and this Department of Justice stand here to tell you that we will always refute it and combat it,” Patel vowed. “We will provide the safest country the nation has ever seen under President Trump’s leadership.” 

Cole’s arrest comes nearly five years after surveillance footage showed an individual wearing a face mask, gray hoodie and Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes dropping off pipe bombs near the headquarters of both the DNC and the RNC between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2021. The explosives were discovered the following day, which coincided with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot that ended up dominating the headlines for several months and years thereafter. 

While the explosives did not go off, they contained wiring that appeared to be attached to a timer. As Patel explained, the explosives were designed to “blow up multiple people and multiple officials” as well as “innocent civilians.” 

The criminal complaint against Cole, filed Thursday, provided additional information about the suspect. The charging document alleges that Cole, 30, “purchased multiple items consistent with the components that were used to manufacture the pipe bombs” throughout 2019 and 2020. 

Additional evidence that led to the identification of Cole as the alleged suspect, as laid out in the criminal complaint, included cell phone records demonstrating that he was in the vicinity of where the pipe bombs were dropped off at the relevant times on Jan. 5, 2021, and his ownership of a 2017 Nissan Sentra that was seen near the scene of the crime. At the time of his arrest, Cole lived with his parents inside a single-family home and worked in the office of a bail bondsman.