Authorities Make an Arrest in 2021 Pipe Bomb Investigation

The FBI arrested a suspect on Thursday in its investigation into pipe bombs planted outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican National Committees the night before the Capitol riot, according to multiple news outlets.

Officials have not yet publicly released the suspect’s name, formal charges or the evidence that led to his identification and arrest.

The arrest ends nearly five years of investigation that had long frustrated law enforcement agencies. Despite extensive efforts, including analyzing thousands of video files, following hundreds of tips and releasing surveillance footage, no suspect had been identified until Thursday’s arrest.

Surveillance video released at the time captured a hooded, masked individual placing a bomb outside the DNC building, then another in an alley behind the RNC, both just blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Complexities, including poor video quality, a lack of reliable witnesses and a dearth of forensic leads made progress difficult. The FBI offered a public reward of up to $500,000.

Though neither device detonated and both were safely defused the next day, the FBI characterized them as “viable and capable of harming anyone nearby.” Their discovery during the early hours of the Capitol riot is widely believed to have diverted law-enforcement resources amid chaotic crowd violence.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. alongside the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, whose office is expected to prosecute the case.

This is a breaking news article and will be updated.