FBI Arrests Suspect in Capitol Riot Pipe Bomb Probe

The FBI has arrested a man suspected of planting pipe bombs in Washington, D.C., on the night before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, according to two law enforcement sources.

Multiple law enforcement sources identified the suspect as Brian Cole Jr. of Woodbridge, Virginia. The arrest comes after a nearly five-year investigation into the individual captured in surveillance footage near the Capitol.

The pipe bombs were discovered near both the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on January 6, 2021. Investigators determined the devices had been placed at both locations on January 5, the eve of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

The suspect's identity had remained unknown despite the FBI's public release of surveillance video and images during the lengthy investigation.