The FBI has released new surveillance video in an effort to find a suspect who placed pipe bombs in Washington on January 5, 2021, the night before the assault on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The footage showed an individual placing a bomb near the Democratic National Committee building and another bomb near the Republican headquarters, both located near the Capitol. Despite receiving more than 600 tips and offering a $500,000 reward, the FBI has been unable to identify the suspect over the past four years since the bombs were found.
David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington field office, expressed hope that the release of the new video will jog someone’s memory and lead to the identification of the suspect. The FBI believes that there are individuals who may have information about the case that has not yet been shared. The bombs, which were deactivated by police and did not explode, were discovered on the same day that supporters of Donald Trump stormed Congress in an attempt to prevent the certification of his election defeat in 2020.
Despite the enduring mystery surrounding the bombs and their discovery on January 6, 2021, it remains unclear if they were linked to the Capitol riot. The suspect, who is described as being about 5 feet 7 inches tall, was seen wearing nondescript clothing – a gray sweatshirt and pants. The FBI has released a map of the suspect’s walking route on the night the bombs were placed, but the 15-hour gap between the planting of the bombs and their discovery has made it challenging for investigators to make progress in the case.
President-elect Trump’s 2024 election victory is set to be certified in Congress on Monday, with his second term set to begin on January 20. The FBI has previously released other video footage of the suspect, who was seen wearing distinctive black and gray Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes. In the January 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol, rioters breached police barricades, assaulted officers, and caused millions of dollars in damage. Trump has promised to pardon some of the individuals who have been criminally charged for their involvement in the riot.
