FBI arrests suspect in January 6 pipe bomb case after almost five years

Suspect Arrested for Pipe Bomb Incident Ahead of Capitol Riot

A suspect has been taken into custody in relation to the planting of a pipe bomb outside the Democratic-Republican National Committee just before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, according to various news sources on Thursday.

This arrest, as reported by CNN and the Associated Press, comes about a month before the fifth anniversary of the events that temporarily halted Congress’s certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. This incident also highlights what has been an embarrassing time for the FBI, which has faced criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum for failing to identify those responsible.

Surveillance footage captured an individual with a backpack who was wearing a gray hoodie, a mask, gloves, glasses, and Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers as they planted what authorities described as a “viable explosive device” at the headquarters of the two major political parties on January 5, 2021.

The device was found the following afternoon, coinciding with the time Congress was set to count the electoral votes from 2020, but the session was interrupted for several hours as rioters supporting President Trump breached the Capitol and occupied the House and Senate chambers.

A report published in January by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) and Rep. Thomas Massey (R-Ky.) stated that there has been “little meaningful progress” made in the investigation of the pipe bomb and accused federal officials of withholding detailed updates from Congress.

In their report, the lawmakers mentioned, “Despite a promising body of data and a significant number of stakeholders, in late February 2021, the FBI began reallocating resources away from the pipe bomb investigation.”