FBI Says Pipe Bomb Parts Bought in 2019–2020 Match Purchases by Virginia Suspect
A newly unsealed FBI affidavit outlines a series of purchases and location records that investigators say tie a Virginia man, Brian Cole, to the components used in the pipe bombs placed outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on January 5, 2021.
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According to the filing, Cole bought multiple items in 2019 and 2020 that match the specific parts used in both devices, including 1” x 8” galvanized pipes, black and galvanized end caps, nine-volt battery connectors, and white kitchen timers. Investigators say the manufacturers and product markings of these items are consistent with the components recovered from the bomb scenes.
The affidavit states that Cole purchased six galvanized pipes in 2019 and 2020 from two Home Depot locations in northern Virginia. He also allegedly bought 12 black end caps and two galvanized end caps across four northern Virginia Home Depots during that same period. The FBI notes that only a limited number of these parts were distributed nationally, making the component trail more specific.
In addition, Cole reportedly purchased five nine-volt battery connectors from a Micro Center store in November and December 2019. Fewer than 8,000 of that exact connector type were distributed across the United States between late 2017 and early 2021, according to the manufacturer. The affidavit says Cole also bought two white kitchen timers from a Walmart in northern Virginia in June 2020.
While the component purchases occurred months before the bombs were planted, investigators also cite location data from the night of January 5, 2021. The affidavit states that Cole’s cellphone connected with provider towers consistent with the areas surrounding both the RNC and DNC between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m., logging seven data sessions during that window.
Separately, law enforcement records show Cole’s 2017 Nissan Sentra passing a license plate reader at the South Capitol Street exit from I-395 at approximately 7:10 p.m. — less than half a mile from where the suspect was first observed on foot near New Jersey Avenue Southeast at 7:34 p.m. Minutes later, at 7:39 p.m., Cole’s cellphone began connecting to towers in the same general area.
The affidavit does not cite surveillance video, DNA, or forensic evidence connecting Cole directly to the bomb placements, and the component purchases were made well before the attack date. However, investigators say the combination of matching parts, limited-distribution connectors, and Cole’s proximity to both party headquarters on the night in question establishes probable cause for the charges.
The case remains ongoing.