The FBI has released new surveillance footage of a suspect planting pipe bombs near the DNC and RNC headquarters on January 5, 2021. Still, the culprit remains at large despite a massive investigation. The FBI’s latest release reignites efforts to identify the suspect and solve the mystery.
New Surveillance Footage Released
The FBI released new surveillance footage capturing the suspect who planted pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee buildings on January 5, 2021. The footage offers a closer look at the suspect, who is approximately 5-foot, 7-inches tall, seen placing bombs near significant political venues.
FBI releases new video of a suspect planting a pipe bomb near DNC offices on eve of the Capitol riot https://t.co/01pAhpD8zN
— WPTV (@WPTV) January 3, 2025
The individual was last seen on video walking past houses with a backpack thought to contain the explosives.
A $500,000 reward is now offered for information leading to the suspect’s capture.
Hoping to generate new tips, the FBI is disclosing new information, including previously unreleased video, about a suspect who planted pipe bombs four years ago outside the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees near the Capitol. https://t.co/aG22BFmZyn
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) January 3, 2025
The new video features enhanced angles showing the suspect wearing a grey hoodie, face mask, and Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, further complicating their identification.
The suspect’s outfit, including fewer than 25,000 pairs of shoes sold in the U.S. between August 2018 and the incident, understanding the suspect’s identity becomes vital to the investigation.
Uncovering New Evidence
Despite exhaustive investigative efforts, the FBI has yet to identify anyone linked to the bombings. Throughout their inquiry, authorities conducted over 1,000 interviews and reviewed 39,000 video files.
The bombs were safely deactivated without causing injuries, but the potential for disaster was imminent, according to the FBI.
“We recognize that it’s been nearly four years since we started investigating this case, and we have been helped considerably by tips from the public. Those tips have helped us further the investigation, but they have not yet allowed us to identify the suspect. But over four years, allegiances can change, and people might have information they didn’t think was important in the past, and that’s why we are releasing new footage.” – David Sundberg.
Various lawmakers have called for increased accountability, criticizing the FBI’s progress in this case. Representatives Barry Loudermilk and Thomas Massie highlighted the need for more transparency about the investigation.
Moving Forward in the Investigation
The investigation’s momentum aligns with a U.S. House report questioning the FBI’s strides in this cold case. This renewed push for answers increases public awareness and leverages potential leads from citizens who might recognize the suspect.
“This case involves an unknown person placing two pipe bombs that could have killed someone, not just near the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters, but in a neighborhood, a place where people live, a place where people work. This is not something that the FBI is going to let go of. We can’t have a case that we stop working that involves someone placing explosive devices inside a neighborhood in any American town or city.” – David Sundberg.
The FBI remains optimistic about eventually identifying the suspect, appealing to the public to share information anonymously.
Given the incident occurred just a day before the January 6 Capitol attack, linking the events remains a priority for the agency.
Sources:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/fbi-releases-video-showing-january-025726596.html
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/02/nx-s1-5244008/fbi-pipe-bomb-jan6-dnc-rnc