Confession Emerges from Suspect in Pipe Bomb Incident Ahead of Capitol Riot

Fri Dec 05 2025 20:36:47 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Brian Cole Jr. has confessed to planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican national party headquarters just before the January 6 Capitol attack, sharing his beliefs about the elections amid ongoing investigations.

Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old man from Virginia, has confessed to planting two pipe bombs near the offices of the Democratic and Republican parties in Washington D.C. before the January 6 Capitol riots. Cole expressed beliefs that the 2020 election was stolen and aligned with pro-Trump sentiments during police interviews. Despite nobody being injured, the FBI has stated that the bombs could have been lethal. His arrest has revealed vital insights into this long-unresolved case nearly five years post the Capitol incident.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Brian Cole Jr., the man accused of planting a pair of pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington on the eve of the U.S. Capitol attack, has confessed to the act in interviews with investigators, as revealed by two sources familiar with the case.

Cole, 30, from Woodbridge, Virginia, reportedly expressed beliefs that the 2020 election was stolen and voiced support for President Donald Trump. However, the full details of his statements remain undisclosed as the investigation continues.

Federal authorities have yet to publicly clarify a possible motive or the connections between the pipe bombs and the Capitol on January 6, when Trump supporters stormed the building. Following his arrest on Thursday, Cole faces explosive charges relating to the placement of the devices, which, though they caused no injuries, were described by the FBI as potentially lethal.

The FBI's recent affidavit indicated that Cole was identified through credit card analysis associated with purchasing components for the pipe bombs and through observations from cellphone towers. This incident marks the first public identification of a suspect in a case that has perplexed authorities for nearly five years in the ongoing inquiry into the violent Capitol attack.