December 4, 2025
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.
FBI Director Kash Patel on the arrest of the suspect in the pipe bombing case from January 5, 2021.
What We Know: Law enforcement arrested Virginia resident Brian Cole Jr. for placing pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican headquarters near the U.S. Capitol complex on the night of January 5, 2021.
The bombs did not ultimately detonate. The timing of the discovery of the bombs, found on the day of the Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021, led to additional questions about the suspect and his motive and whether the two events were related in some way.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the years-long investigation was solved after bringing in a new team of investigators and experts and reexamining existing evidence.
Cole was charged with use of an explosive device (“transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and malicious destruction by means of explosion”) and faces up to 10 years in prison.
What’s Next: The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible.
Man Charged for Planting Explosive Devices outside the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021
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by Jenna Lee, Founder of SmartHER News
