Suspect arrested in pipe bomb incident on eve of Jan 6, ending years-long manhunt

December 4, 2025

After nearly five years of investigation, federal authorities arrested 30-year-old Virginia resident Brian Cole Jr. for allegedly planting two pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters the night before the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Investigators identified Cole by analyzing approximately three million lines of previously collected data rather than receiving new tips, concluding what officials described as an exceptionally difficult search that carried a $500,000 reward.

Who is affected

Brian Cole Jr., 30, of Virginia (arrested suspect)
Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee (targets of the bomb placement)
FBI investigators and law enforcement officials (conducted the investigation)
US senators who were meeting at the Capitol on January 6, 2021
More than 1,500 people previously convicted or charged in relation to the January 6 riot (received pardons or commutations)

What action is being taken

Brian Cole Jr. is charged with use of an explosive device
The investigation continues, which may result in additional charges against Cole

Why it matters

This case represents a significant breakthrough in one of the most serious unsolved crimes connected to the January 6 Capitol riot, involving explosive devices placed at both major political party headquarters during a critical moment in American democracy. The arrest demonstrates the persistence of federal investigators who analyzed years of accumulated evidence to solve what officials characterized as an extremely difficult case, and it addresses a threat that could have resulted in casualties at the highest levels of American political institutions during the certification of a presidential election.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC