Major news is breaking this Thursday morning: multiple outlets are reporting that a Virginia man has been arrested in connection with the pipe bombs placed outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on January 5, 2021. Details remain limited, but this marks the first arrest in a case that has puzzled investigators for nearly five years.
According to early reports, the FBI took the suspect — a Virginia resident — into custody Thursday morning. There is still no information on the specific charges he may face. The Justice Department is expected to hold a press conference later today:
BREAKING: Colleague @davidspunt reports the FBI has arrested the suspect believed to be behind the planting of pipe bombs at the DNC & RNC headquarters in DC on January 5th, 2021. Suspect is a male living in Virginia. Arrested early this morning in VA.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) December 4, 2025
NEWS – Federal authorities have arrested a Virginia man in connection with the placement of two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the RNC & DNC the night before the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, sources tell me @MLevineReports @PierreTABC @alex_mallin @JackDate
— Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) December 4, 2025
??BIG NEWS from the @FBI this morning – the J6 pipe bomb suspect arrested is a man – so it appears to undermine earlier reports of a woman Capitol Police officer being the perpetrator.
Stay tuned… https://t.co/ndGX3mAVCK
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) December 4, 2025
Multiple reports have identified the suspect as Brian Cole of Virginia:
? NOW: The FBI has a MASSIVE presence outside the home of alleged DC J6 pipe bomber Brian Cole, Jr. in Woodbridge, VA
Can’t wait to hear what the FBI has on him and how they zeroed-in on him after all these years. pic.twitter.com/0GKpzVC5FL
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 4, 2025
This is a developing story.
