FBI Releases Video Of Suspect Planting Bombs Outside RNC, DNC Night Before Riot

Washington, DC – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Tuesday released several new videos of the suspect they believe planted bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committees the night before the Capitol riot (video below).

“These pipe bombs were viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in injury or death,” Steven D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s DC field office, told reporters at a press conference on March 9, according to NBC News.

“We need the public’s help to identify the individual responsible for placing these pipe bombs, to ensure they will not harm themselves or anyone else,” D’Antuono said.

The FBI has said the two bombs were planted between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5 outside the separate offices of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee, NBC News reported.

The pipe bombs were found on Capitol Hill at 1 p.m. and 1:15 p.m., respectively, on Jan. 6, just as the chaos at the nearby U.S. Capitol was exploding, CBS News reported.

Those buildings are located only a few blocks apart, close to the U.S. Capitol complex.

Now-former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund said afterwards that he thought the bombs were planted in locations where they would be discovered in order to draw police officials away from the Capitol building as violent protesters began to breach the doors.

Other law enforcement officials since have agreed with the former police chief’s assessment.

The FBI released videos in February that showed the bomber wearing a gray hoodie, a mask, and carrying a backpack down an alley behind the political headquarters, NBC News reported.

Agents also said they think the suspect took something out of a car parked only a few blocks from the Capitol complex at some point between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. the night before the Capitol riot.

D’Antuono said when he released the videos that federal authorities are hoping that somebody recognizes the suspect’s gait, body language, or other mannerisms even though their face and hair are disguised.

The FBI also said the suspect wore Nike Air Max Speed Turf tennis shoes with distinctive black, gray, and yellow details, NBC News reported.

The newly-released video showed the suspect walking down the sidewalk and stopping to place the backpack in front of a home on South Capitol Street.

Another video showed the same suspect sitting down on a sidewalk bench and walking past The Capitol Hill Club.

Yet another showed the bomber walking down an alley, NBC News reported.

Investigators said that both of the bombs were fully functional and had one-hour, wind-up timers that did not go off.

It’s not known why the bombs didn’t explode, NBC News reported.

Michael Sherwin, the acting U.S. Attorney for Washington, DC, said shortly after they were discovered that the pipe bombs were “real devices,” the Boston Globe reported.

Sherwin said the bombs had “explosive igniters. They had timers. We don’t know, obviously, why they did not go off. … That is all obviously being vetted and investigated. What was the purpose of those devices being planted? Was it a diversionary type of a tactic used by some of these rioters?”

NEW: #FBIWFO releases video & additional information regarding the investigation into the pipe bombs placed in DC on January 5th. https://t.co/946jU0n3qJ pic.twitter.com/xA9qfwfYjY

— FBI Washington Field (@FBIWFO) March 9, 2021