FBI: DC Pipe Bombs Were Planted Night Before Riot

There's now $100K reward for suspect in security footage shown by 'Washington Post'
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 29, 2021 1:17 PM CST
FBI Seeks DC Pipe Bomb Suspect Seen in Videos
An image of the suspect.   (FBI)

A $100,000 reward is up for grabs as the FBI says it's using "every tool in our toolbox" to track down the person or persons responsible for planting two pipe bombs near the US Capitol. An FBI release on Friday noted that on Jan. 5, the day before the Capitol riot, one of the 8-inch-long bombs was placed at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee, while a second explosive was left a few blocks away at the Democratic National Committee's home base. The agency says it believes the two bombs—which a law enforcement official told CNN were made of galvanized steel, set up with egg timers, and filled with explosive powder—were left between 7:30pm and 8:30pm that evening by an "unknown individual," described as wearing a gray hoodie, face mask, and yellow-black-and-gray Nike Air Max Speed Turf athletic shoes.

The Washington Post, meanwhile, talked to local business owners and residents and now has security footage from 8:13 that night showing a suspect in an alley heading west toward the RNC building, holding a backpack that appears to be weighed down near his waist. Three minutes later, the same person walks in front of the camera again, still heading west and clutching the backpack. One minute later, he's seen heading east, this time with the backpack on his back. An additional video shows him at 8:15pm from another angle. The bombs were found in the early afternoon on Jan. 6 and safely detonated by robots. Authorities, who believe the same person left both bombs, aren't sure which bomb was placed first or why the bombs didn't go off—improperly connected batteries or a timer error may have been to blame. (More Capitol riot stories.)

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