DC pipe bomber arrest: FBI takes man into custody over bombs planted before Jan. 6, AP source says

WASHINGTON – The FBI arrested a man Thursday in its nearly five-year investigation into pipe bombs planted in Washington on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

READ MORE: Who is Brian Cole? Suspected DC pipe bomber identified, Fox News says

What we know:

The arrest is the first time investigators have identified a suspect in an act that has frustrated investigators, fueled conspiracy theories and stayed unsolved in the aftermath of the Capitol attack.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss a case that has not yet been made public. The arrest took place Thursday morning, and the suspect is a man, the official said. No other details were immediately available, including possible charges.

FOX News has identified the man reports say was arrested by the FBI in connection with pipe bombs planted in Washington, D.C., the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot as Brian Cole. FOX says Cole was living in Virginia at the time of his arrest on Thursday morning. FOX 5 has confirmed that he was a resident of Woodbridge. No other details were immediately available, including possible charges.

SKYFOX was over a home in Woodbridge on Thursday morning as a large-scale law enforcement investigation unfolded. It is unclear whether the investigation is connected to Cole.

The Associated Press has also identified Cole as the suspect. Their calls to relatives listed in public records weren’t immediately returned on Thursday, they said.

READ MORE: FBI shares new video of 2021 DC pipe bomb suspect

The backstory:

The pipe bombs were planted on Jan. 5, 2021, near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees in Washington. No one was hurt before the devices were rendered safe, but the FBI has said both could have been deadly.

In the years since, investigators have asked for the public’s help in identifying a figure seen on surveillance video. They have struggled to answer basic questions including the person’s gender, motive and whether the act was tied to the Capitol riot a day later, when supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the building to try to block certification of his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Looking for a breakthrough, the FBI last January released new details, including an estimate that the suspect was about 5-foot-7 and previously unseen video showing the person planting one of the pipe bombs.

For years, the FBI struggled to identify a suspect despite hundreds of tips, tens of thousands of video files reviewed and numerous interviews.

Some Republican lawmakers pushed conspiracy theories about the pipe bombs. House Republicans also criticized security lapses, questioning how law enforcement failed to find the devices for 17 hours.

READ MORE: New video shows DC pipe bomber’s route: FBI

What they’re saying:

Current FBI deputy director Dan Bongino, floated the possibility last year before being tapped for his job that the incident was an “inside job” and involved a “massive cover-up.” 

Since arriving at the FBI in March, Bongino has promised that the pipe bombs investigation would be a main priority while defending the bureau’s work. 

“We brought in new personnel to take a look at the case, we flew in police officers and detectives working as TFOs (task force officers) to review FBI work, we conducted multiple internal reviews, held countless in person and SVTC meetings with investigative team members, we dramatically increased investigative resources, and we increased the public award for information in the case to utilize crowd-sourcing leads,” Bongino wrote in a lengthy post to X last month.

READ MORE: FBI releases new video of suspect who placed bombs outside DNC, RNC buildings

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Crime and Public SafetyCapitol RiotWashington, D.C.News