Man Accused of Planting Pipe Bombs Near US Capitol Makes First Court Appearance
A 30-year-old man from Virginia, identified as Brian Cole Jr, is set to face federal charges for allegedly placing explosive devices outside the Democratic and Republican party headquarters near the US Capitol on the eve of the 6 January 2021 storming of the building. The incident occurred just days after President Donald Trump's supporters clashed with lawmakers in a failed attempt to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
According to investigators, Cole believed that the 2020 election was stolen and had conspired to commit a violent act. He allegedly purchased components used to make pipe bombs, including pipes, kitchen timers, and battery connectors, which were linked to him through cellphone data and license plate information.
The devices were discovered on the morning of 6 January 2021, after the Capitol had been breached by thousands of Trump supporters who broke into the building. Thankfully, no one was hurt as the bombs were deactivated by police.
Cole's arrest marked a significant development in the case, with the FBI and Department of Justice touting a major breakthrough. The federal charges against him carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
It remains unclear whether Cole knew about the planned storming of the Capitol or if his actions were linked to it. Investigators have not commented on the suspect's alleged motivations, but it is clear that his actions were deeply concerning and underscore the serious threat posed by domestic terrorism in the United States.
A 30-year-old man from Virginia, identified as Brian Cole Jr, is set to face federal charges for allegedly placing explosive devices outside the Democratic and Republican party headquarters near the US Capitol on the eve of the 6 January 2021 storming of the building. The incident occurred just days after President Donald Trump's supporters clashed with lawmakers in a failed attempt to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
According to investigators, Cole believed that the 2020 election was stolen and had conspired to commit a violent act. He allegedly purchased components used to make pipe bombs, including pipes, kitchen timers, and battery connectors, which were linked to him through cellphone data and license plate information.
The devices were discovered on the morning of 6 January 2021, after the Capitol had been breached by thousands of Trump supporters who broke into the building. Thankfully, no one was hurt as the bombs were deactivated by police.
Cole's arrest marked a significant development in the case, with the FBI and Department of Justice touting a major breakthrough. The federal charges against him carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
It remains unclear whether Cole knew about the planned storming of the Capitol or if his actions were linked to it. Investigators have not commented on the suspect's alleged motivations, but it is clear that his actions were deeply concerning and underscore the serious threat posed by domestic terrorism in the United States.
i mean like whoever does this stuff r really evil & need 2 b held accountable!!! i dont no what kinda sick mind thinks they can just put pipe bombs outside the capitol & threaten ppl's lives but i guess that's wut domestic terrorism is all about. i hope cole gets max prison time & doesnt bother ppl like that again
he could've been a lone wolf or part of something bigger, idk what to make of this situation... the government's all like "domestic terrorism is real and we need more laws" but what about the mental health implications on someone who's convinced the election was stolen? did they just lose it or are there ppl out there who can spot a grift from a mile away? 
. And for what? To protest the election? Dude, you're 30 years old, can't you just express your opinions through social media or something? 
I'm all for free speech and all that jazz, but this is just crazy talk 
. And what's with the timing? Just days after Trump supporters did their thing? Coincidence? I don't know... seems kinda suspicious to me 
. Anyway, hope they get a good verdict out of this 
.
you know what's really scary? not just the fact that someone tried to bomb near the capitol 
. like, what even is that? we gotta keep in mind that these people are just a minority (sadly) and that most americans are not violent or extremist 
. it's so important to stay calm and rational when faced with news like this 
. and btw, the fact that the bombs were deactivated by police is literally the best thing that could've happened 
.
. The fact that his arrest is a major breakthrough for the FBI is huge 
. 20 years in prison is a pretty harsh sentence, hope he gets it 
so this guy Brian Cole Jr from Virginia gets caught with pipe bombs near the Capitol and I'm like what was he thinking? 
- like Cole had a crystal ball or something! anyway, 20 yrs max seems low for someone who's basically a domestic terrorism wannabe, i guess you could say he got lucky no one was hurt... yet
It's crazy to think about the potential consequences and how it could've played out. Like, was he trying to cause chaos or did he really think those devices would go off? 