Brian Cole of Virginia has been named as the D.C. pipe bomb suspect, according to multiple reports.
Authorities have not confirmed Cole’s name. However, he was identified in stories by The New York Post, CNN, and NBC News, which cited sources for the identification. Cole is under arrest in the case, they reported. That brings a long-languishing and high-profile case to an alleged conclusion; the arrest was made on Thursday, December 4, by the FBI, the news outlets noted.
Who Is Brian Cole, the Virginia Pipe Bomb Suspect?
NBC News reached out to Cole’s family members seeking comment. The suspect’s step-grandfather, Earl Donnette, “said in a brief phone call to NBC News that he spoke with the FBI about his step-grandson,” the network reported. He declined to make further comment, as did Cole’s dad, Brian Cole Sr., NBC News reported.
The FBI had previously released a surveillance video and photos showing the pipe bomb suspect.
On January 5, 2021, between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., an unidentified individual “placed pipe bombs near the offices of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C. The FBI and our partners are renewing our call for tips from the public to help us identify the suspect,” the FBI wrote on its website.
There Was a $500,000 Reward Offered in the D.C. Pipe Bomb Case
“A reward of up to $500,000 is available for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for this attempted attack,” the FBI wrote. It’s not clear whether Brian Cole’s alleged arrest will result in anyone getting that award as details are not yet clear.
The FBI Narrowed the D.C. Pipe Bomber’s Shoes to Distinctive Nike Air Max Speed Turf Shoes
The FBI had indicated that a key clue in the case was the suspect’s shoes, visible in the photos.
“The suspect wore a face mask, a gray hooded sweatshirt, and black gloves. They used a backpack to transport each of the devices. They were wearing distinctive Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, which are black and gray with the yellow Nike logo. Fewer than 25,000 of these shoes were sold between August 2018 and January 2021,” the FBI wrote.
“The first time the suspect is seen is at approximately 7:34 p.m. at the intersection of First Street and North Carolina Avenue Southeast. The person walks southwest on North Carolina Avenue, turns north on New Jersey Avenue, west on D Street, and then south on South Capitol Street,” added the FBI.
“This footage of the suspect on South Capitol Street shows the person setting down their backpack, which is believed to contain one of the bombs at this time. The suspect appears to put on a pair of glasses and scan the area, standing on tiptoes. Before picking up the backpack, turning around, and heading back the way they came on South Capitol Street,” the FBI added.
“After reaching the corner of D Street, the suspect turns around again and this time walks south all the way down South Capitol Street to a bench outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters building. Here we see the suspect sit on the bench for a few minutes. They do not place the bomb at this time,” the FBI wrote.
“The suspect then walks east on Ivy Street, turns north on New Jersey Avenue, and then pauses near the corner of D Street before retracing their steps back to the DNC bench, where the first bomb is placed.”
The FBI continued tracing the suspect throughout the city. “This footage shows the suspect passed between the RNC and the Capitol Hill Club, holding the backpack out to the side. The person continues between the RNC and the Capitol Hill Club, then continues north on First Street, east on C Street, back into the alley toward Rumsey Court, back onto Rumsey Court,” wrote the FBI.
“They place the second pipe bomb at approximately 8:16 p.m. The suspect then turns back onto Rumsey Court, walking east until the person is last seen on camera at approximately 8:18 p.m., wearing the backpack on their shoulders. The bomb is believed to have been placed shortly before this video, based on how the suspect is carrying the backpack. We still believe there is someone out there who has information they may not have realized was significant until now.”
