Key Takeaways
- The FBI arrested Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old bail bondsman from northern Virginia, for allegedly planting two bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington on January 5, 2021.
- The bombs did not detonate and were discovered the next day, on January 6, 2021, the day of the riots at the US Capitol.
- The FBI used debit and credit card purchases, cellphone data, and license plate reader information to identify Cole as the suspect.
- Cole faces two federal charges, each carrying a minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years.
- A relative of Cole claims he is innocent, describing him as "more like a child."
Introduction to the Arrest
The FBI surrounded a house in northern Virginia on Thursday morning, arresting Brian Cole Jr., the man suspected of planting two bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington. The arrest was made after a thorough investigation, with Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino stating, "We were going to track this person to the end of the Earth; we’re not going to let him get away." However, the FBI did not have to go far, as Cole was found in Woodbridge, Virginia.
The Investigation
The FBI’s investigation into the pipe bombs found outside the RNC and DNC headquarters on January 5, 2021, involved re-examining every piece of evidence and sifting through all the data. According to an FBI affidavit, Cole allegedly bought materials to build the pipe bombs between 2019 and 2020, including galvanized pipes, end caps, nine-volt battery connectors, and kitchen-style timers. The affidavit also reveals that Cole’s cellphone had data session transactions with cell towers in Washington on the evening of January 5, 2021, around the time the bombs were planted. Additionally, a license plate reader scanned Cole’s car’s plate about 20 minutes before surveillance footage first captured the pipe bomber.
The Suspect
Brian Cole Jr. is a 30-year-old bail bondsman who lives in a single-family house in Woodbridge with his mother and other family members. He is 5-foot-6, which nearly matches the description previously released by the FBI, which estimated the suspect to be around 5-foot-7 inches. Cole is accused of two U.S. criminal code violations, one for trying to set off the explosives and the other for allegedly transporting the bombs across state lines. Each federal charge carries a minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Reaction from Cole’s Family and Neighbors
A relative of Cole reached by telephone claimed that he is innocent, saying "he didn’t do it" and describing him as "more like a child." Neighbors described Cole as a quiet person who kept to himself and frequently walked his dog. One neighbor, Jesenia Lopez, told WUSA9, "He was quiet. I just know that every time we would see him, he’d walk around his dog." When reporters approached the Woodbridge home after police left, people yelled at them to "get off our property and leave us alone."
The Arrest and Aftermath
The FBI arrived at the Woodbridge home around 8:30 am, with two women leaving the house before Cole’s arrest. A neighbor described seeing FBI agents in camouflage with automatic rifles aimed at the house, with a loudspeaker saying, "We have a federal search warrant. Everybody please come out of the house with empty hands and your hands high." A drone was sent into the house before Cole was taken into custody. Cole graduated from Hyland High School in Woodbridge in 2013 and worked in the office of a bail bondsman in Northern Virginia. His arrest marks a significant development in the investigation into the pipe bombs found outside the RNC and DNC headquarters on January 5, 2021.
