The Department of Justice has named U.S. Marshal Brian Cole as the alleged perpetrator. He is notoriously connected to a case that saw pipe bombs placed outside the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties. On Thursday, federal authorities arrested a 30-year-old man who lives in suburban Woodbridge, Virginia. He is charged with planting two explosives the day before the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021. This innovation clears a major hurdle for investigators. This is the first time during the long investigation that they have named a suspect.
Brian Cole is back living with his parents and recently got a job as a runner for a bail bond company. He now faces federal charges of use and transportation of a destructive device, plus attempted malicious destruction by explosive materials. The arrests follow a years-long forensic examination of past evidence that was overseen by former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
The pipe bombs were reportedly placed outside the political party headquarters during the night prior to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Investigators go cold on Biden Administration Authorities said that the investigation languished for four years with a lack of involvement from the Biden administration. Third, it resulted in Cole’s arrest. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the successful identification of a suspect was not due to new tips or witnesses but rather to “good diligent police work and prosecutorial work.”
“Let me be clear. There was no new tip, there was no new witness, just good diligent police work and prosecutorial work,” – Pam Bondi.
The case received a surge of media interest in 2023 when the reward for key information was raised to $500,000. This substantial increase intended to motivate anyone with information about the accident to emerge. Investigative efforts escalated as FBI agents and others sought to solve the case that had been cold for decades.
With this arrest, new theories abound about what motivated the perpetrator to plant the bombs. Many have claimed that there was a deeper agenda targeting chaos during a politically sensitive time. In this instance, conservative personality Dan Bongino even suggested that the whole thing was an elaborate setup.
“It is now clear to me that this was an inside job,” – Dan Bongino.
Just as important, officials have stressed that Cole’s actions were no joke and they do represent a serious threat to public safety. Speaking to the importance of these charges against Cole, former government official Kash Patel called it “the most alarming case to date.”
“We are dealing with an individual who is accused of making bombs,” – Kash Patel.
Federal court actions are beginning, and Cole is expected to make his first appearance in D.C. federal court very soon. There, he will answer the charges brought against him. His arrest may have sweeping repercussions outside of this case. It could shine a light on important issues of transparency and accountability in security at a formative moment in American history.