The FBI Washington Field Office on Thursday released film footage and more information about the suspect who placed pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021.
The FBI posted on its Seeking Information webpage previously unreleased video of the suspect placing one of the bombs near the DNC and announced that it estimates the suspect to be approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall.
“Four years into the investigation, identifying the perpetrator of this attempted attack remains a priority for WFO; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Washington Field Division; the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD); and the U.S. Capitol Police Department (USCP),” the FBI said in a statement.
But questions are being asked about why the FBI issued this additional information just days before the 2024 presidential election is to be certified by a joint session of Congress. More questions are being asked about why the FBI has held onto this footage for so long. Every year since the bombing, the FBI has put out a call for information and announced its bounty, but has not released this particular footage.
The suspect placed pipe bombs in a Capitol Hill neighborhood near the RNC, located at 310 First St. SE, and the DNC, which is at 430 South Capitol St. SE, #3, on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, between approximately 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., “the night before the riots at the U.S. Capitol,” the FBI said.
“Although these bombs did not detonate, the suspect walked along residential and commercial areas in Capitol Hill just blocks from the U.S. Capitol with viable pipe bombs that could have seriously injured or killed innocent bystanders,” the statement said.
“Over the past four years, a dedicated team of FBI agents, analysts, data scientists, and law enforcement partners has visited more than 1,200 residences and businesses, conducted more than 1,000 interviews, reviewed approximately 39,000 video files, and assessed more than 600 tips about who may have placed pipe bombs on Capitol Hill in January 2021,” said David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office.
“The tips the FBI has received so far have helped us advance the investigation, but they have not led us to identify the suspect. Today, we are releasing additional information about the suspect—including that we estimate the person to be approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall—to encourage the public to take a fresh look at the Seeking Information webpage and contact the FBI if they recognize or have information about the suspect,” Sundberg said.
The website includes a new video with updated maps of the route the suspect walked the night the bombs were placed; previously unreleased footage of the suspect placing one of the bombs near the DNC; and closeup images of the distinctive Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes the suspect wore.
“We urge anyone who may have previously hesitated to come forward, or who may not have realized they had important information, to contact the FBI. A reward of up to $500,000 is available for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for this dangerous attempt to harm our community,” Sundberg said.
