The FBI’s Washington Field Office has released new information and video regarding the pipe bombs placed in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., on January 5, 2021, and is seeking additional information from the public. Identifying the person responsible for placing these pipe bombs is a priority for the FBI’s Washington Field Office and our partners at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Capitol Police; and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
On the evening before the violence at our nation’s Capitol, between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., two pipe bombs were placed near the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters and Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters. One device was placed in an alley behind the RNC headquarters, located at 310 First Street Southeast, and the other was placed next to a park bench near the DNC headquarters, located at 430 South Capitol Street Southeast #3.
“The American people have provided invaluable assistance in this investigation, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners are very grateful for that cooperation,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “We still believe there is someone out there who has information they may not have realized was significant until now. We know it can be a difficult decision to report information about family or friends—but this is about protecting human life. These pipe bombs were viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death. We need the public’s help to identify the individual responsible for placing these pipe bombs to ensure they will not harm themselves or anyone else.”
The FBI has previously released photos of the individual, including of the individual’s shoes, the devices, and the kitchen timers used in hopes that someone recognizes something familiar about them. The person who placed these bombs wore a face mask, a grey hooded sweatshirt, and black and light grey Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes with a yellow logo. They used a backpack to transport each of the devices.
The FBI is asking the public to watch the videos of this person—you may recognize their gait, body language, or mannerisms. We are asking the public to come forward with any information that could assist us, including any odd or out-of-character behavior you noticed in a family member, friend, or coworker, leading up to or after January 5. Regarding the evening of January 5, we are asking for information about an individual who you may have observed matching this description in the vicinity of North Carolina Avenue SE and Folger Park between 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.. This person may have entered a vehicle or taken an item from a vehicle and placed it into the backpack.
Together with the ATF, the FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the person who placed these devices on the night of January 5. If you have any information, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or you can submit online at tips.fbi.gov. Tips can remain anonymous.
Follow the FBI’s Washington Field Office on Twitter at @FBIWFO for updates.