FBI releases video showing January 2021 pipe bomb suspect planting device outside DNC, RNC offices in DC
The FBI has released new video footage of the suspect believed to be responsible for planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee offices in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 5, 2021. The suspect is described as being about 5-foot, 7-inches tall, and the FBI is offering a $500,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest.
The attempted attack took place on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, although there is no clear link between the two events. The FBI is urging the public to come forward with any tips or information that could help identify the suspect.
According to David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington field office, the motive behind the attack cannot be definitively established without confirming the suspect’s identity. The suspect was seen wearing a grey hoodie, face mask, black gloves, and Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, which are believed to be rare with fewer than 25,000 pairs sold between August 2018 and the time of the attack.
Investigators are unsure if the suspect is male or female, and they are relying on the distinctive features of the suspect’s clothing to help with identification. The FBI has received over 600 tips, reviewed thousands of video files, and conducted numerous interviews in the four years since the incident.
The new video footage shows the suspect placing the first bomb near the Democratic National Committee building and the second bomb behind the Republican National Committee building. The suspect was last seen walking past D.C. houses carrying a backpack believed to have been used to transport the pipe bombs.
No one was injured in the attempted attack, but the FBI emphasizes that it could have been deadly. Vice President Kamala Harris and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were in the vicinity of the DNC office when the first bomb was discovered and deactivated.
The FBI is urging anyone with information to come forward and help bring the suspect to justice. The public’s assistance is crucial in solving this case and preventing future attacks.
