The FBI has revealed that the pipe bombs found near the US Capitol were placed there the night before the MAGA mob riots, as it increased ...
The FBI has revealed that the pipe bombs found near the US Capitol were placed there the night before the MAGA mob riots, as it increased the reward to find the culprit to $100,000.
Two pipe bombs were discovered at the offices of the Republican and Democratic national committees on January 6, just moments before thousands of pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol in a violent insurrection that left five - including a Capitol cop - dead.
The FBI said Friday its investigation had revealed the explosive devices were actually placed outside the two buildings between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on January 5, the night before the riot.
New surveillance footage shows the suspect walking toward the area where the RNC is based just after 8:15 p.m. that night.
The devices were not discovered by law enforcement until the following day.
It is not clear whether this means the pipe bombs were unrelated to the next day's riot or if they were part of the riot planning but both buildings are within just a few blocks of the Capitol.
With the hunt for the bomber now in its third week and the suspect still at large, the FBI released new photos of the bombs and doubled the reward for information Friday.
A new wanted poster was released Friday by the FBI to track down the suspect who planted pipe bombs in DC
The FBI has revealed that pipe bombs left at the US Capitol were placed the night before the MAGA mob riots, as the agency released more details of the surveillance footage showing the suspect making the drop. Pictured surveillance footage of the suspect
Two pipe bombs were discovered at the offices of the Republican and Democratic national committees on January 6, just moments before thousands of pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol in a violent insurrection that left five - including a Capitol cop - dead. Pictured an FBI image showing the locations the bombs were left
A new wanted poster released Friday reveals the FBI is now offering $100,000 for information about the suspect.
The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had already increased the reward once from $50,000 to $75,000 with the latest increase a sign that law enforcement are growing increasingly anxious about locating the bomber.
The FBI said the individual was wearing a face mask, a gray hoodie, Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes in black, gray, and yellow and a backpack at the time they placed the devices.
Authorities released close-up photos of the sneakers the alleged perpetrator was wearing along with a photo of the model.
The FBI has not clarified if they think the bomber is a man or a woman but both bombs are thought to have been left by the same person.
Federal authorities also released new photos of the bombs, including an image showing one of the devices underneath a bush.
The bomb was not hidden from view but was clearly out in the open.
The FBI has been gathering footage from residents and businesses to piece together the events surrounding the planting of the two bombs.
So far, the only image released of the suspect is a grainy shot taken from a surveillance camera on the night of January 5.
Authorities released close-up photos of the sneakers the alleged perpetrator was wearing at the time (left) along with a photo of the model (right)
The FBI also released new photos of the bombs, including an image showing one of the devices partially hidden underneath a bush (above)
The timer device on one of the bombs left outside the DNC and RNC overnight January 5
New footage obtained by the Washington Post shows the suspect walking westbound along Rumsey Court - the alley behind the RNC - toward the area behind the RNC at 8:13 p.m.
The individual is wearing the clothes and backpack matching that of the still released by the FBI.
Two minutes later at 8:15 p.m. separate footage captures the suspect carrying the backpack in their hand as they near the area where the bomb was later found.
This footage, which is the image captured in the still handed out by the FBI, is said to be the last known sighting of the suspect before they deposited the bomb.
At 8:16 p.m., the suspect is then seen retracing their steps westbound along the alley toward the RNC building still holding the backpack in their hands.
One minute later at 8:17 p.m., footage shows the suspect heading back the way they came, walking eastbound on Rumsey Court in the direction away from where the bomb was found.
The Post said local residents, property managers and business owners had provided it with other footage of the suspect in the moments before they are thought to have left the bomb.
Other footage, not released but handed over to the authorities, is said to show the first sighting of the suspect at 8:13 p.m. walking eastbound on C Street SE headed toward an entrance to the alley.
The two explosive devices were very similar, and both were about a foot long with end caps and wiring that appeared to be attached to an egg timer, two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have told The Associated Press.
Investigators are still examining the devices and their components to determine the specific compounds inside the pipe bombs, but they both appeared to contain an unknown powder and some metal, the officials said.
The officials could not discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
It is not clear if the devices were set to go off at a certain time.
A law enforcement source told CNN it is still unknown why the devices did not detonate.
Steven D'Antuono, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's office in Washington, said locating the person who planted the pipe bombs was a top priority for federal agents
It is possible the batteries were not connected properly or the timers were set incorrectly, they said.
Authorities are said to considering the theory that the bombs were planted to deliberately divert law enforcement away from the Capitol to give rioters a chance to storm the Capitol.
The bombs are currently being investigated at the FBI lab in Virginia.
Steven D'Antuono, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's office in Washington, said in a press conference Tuesday that locating the person who planted the pipe bombs was a top priority for federal agents.
More than 1,000 residents and business owners in the neighborhood where the bombs were found have been interviewed by authorities as they work to track down the suspect.
US Capitol Police and agents from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were called to the Republican National Committee's office around 12:45 p.m. on January 6.
Donald Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6 in a riot that left five dead. The pipe bombs are being considered as possible diversion tactics to lead law enforcement away from the area
The bomb had been spotted by local resident Karlin Younger as she was walking to do her laundry.
She said the Wisconsin State Journal the timer was set to 20 minutes but said she did not hear any ticking.
Younger reported it to a nearby security guard, who contacted the police.
About 30 minutes later, as the agents and bomb technicians were still investigating at the RNC, another call came in for a second, similar explosive device found at the Democratic National Committee headquarters which is less than a quarter mile away.
Bomb squads were called in and the devices were safely detonated at the scene by robots.
The incident has been particularly concerning for law enforcement as officials step up security preparations ahead of the Senate's impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.
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