A suspect accused of planting pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol on January 5, 2021, has been taken into federal custody, marking a major breakthrough in a case that has remained unsolved for almost five years.
According to federal authorities, the individual is believed to have placed two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in Washington, D.C., just one day before the January 6 Capitol attack. Although the devices did not detonate, investigators confirmed they were viable and could have caused significant harm.
The FBI and other law-enforcement agencies have spent years analyzing surveillance footage, conducting interviews, and following hundreds of leads in an effort to identify the person responsible. The arrest brings renewed attention to one of the most mysterious and widely investigated incidents connected to the events surrounding January 6.
Officials have not yet released full details about the suspect’s identity or the evidence leading to the arrest, but they confirmed that the individual is now in federal custody and will face charges related to the manufacturing and placement of explosive devices.
The investigation—which involved extensive forensic analysis and collaboration across multiple agencies—had previously been described as one of the most challenging cases in recent FBI history.
More information is expected to be released as the case proceeds.