The FBI has arrested Brian J. Cole Jr., a 30-year-old Virginia resident, in connection with an attempted pipe-bombing of Democratic and Republican national committees in Washington, D.C., prior to the events leading up to the January 6th Capitol attack.
According to a federal criminal complaint, the investigation into this case remained dormant for four years until FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, along with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, prioritized it recently.
Cole is accused of placing pipe bombs at both party headquarters on January 5th—the day before what was widely described as a peaceful protest surrounded the U.S. Capitol building during the January 6th events.
Evidence from video footage indicates that Cole was seen walking through locations near both the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC). The FBI reconstructed his movements via cell tower data, linking the timing of seven mobile sessions to a person matching Cole’s description and purchases.
The complaint details how Cole acquired materials for bomb-making from stores like Home Depot, Micro Center, and Walmart over several months in 2019 and 2020. These included pipes, batteries, wires, timers, and steel wool—all components used to build the pipe bombs discovered at the two committees’ offices.
Cole faces charges of attempting to transport explosive materials with intent to kill, injure, or destroy property. Law enforcement secured evidence including cell tower data that placed him near the locations around 30 minutes before his alleged purchase was detected through electronic surveillance.
FBI Identifies Suspect in January 6 Attack Plot
The FBI has identified Brian J. Cole Jr., a 30-year-old resident of Woodbridge, Virginia, as the suspect in an attempted pipe-bombing incident targeting both the Democratic and Republican national committees on the day preceding the events surrounding the January 6th attack attempt at the U.S. Capitol.
According to federal authorities, this case had been inactive in FBI files for four years until Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino prioritized its investigation alongside Jeanine Pirro of the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Video surveillance captured Cole walking near both DNC and RNC locations on January 5th, and cell tower data from his mobile device placed him at those sites just minutes before evidence emerged linking him to the bomb components purchased earlier via six different credit cards or accounts.
Cole’s purchases included multiple pipes for bombs: six from Home Depot stores around June of 2020, plus numerous component pieces over a longer period. The complaint specifically names his location and method in building these devices—using pipe sections, wires, batteries, timers, and steel wool bought at retail outlets like Home Depot, Micro Center, and Walmart.
The investigation remains ongoing as federal agents execute search warrants tied to Cole’s possessions.
