The Mercury News

FBI releases new security footage of person placing pipe bombs outside RNC and DNC headquarte­rs

- By Josh Campbell

The FBI released new security footage Tuesday as authoritie­s continue to seek more informatio­n about the person who placed pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarte­rs that were discovered in Washington, D.C., on the day of the Capitol riot.

Two pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican party headquarte­rs were planted on Jan. 5, the night before the insurrecti­on at the Capitol, the FBI has said.

The videos, which offer multiple angles from several surveillan­ce cameras, offer a clearer look at a masked individual who is wearing a hood as the person moves through neighborho­ods and near the RNC and DNC. At one point, the individual stops and wipes off their glasses. The person also sits down on a bench near the DNC.

In January, the FBI issued a wanted poster of the suspect, who was wearing Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes in yellow, black and gray, and included enhanced photos of them, along with photos of the devices. Authoritie­s have said the bombs were placed between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, the night before the insurrecti­on.

“We believe the informatio­n released today will help someone recognize the suspect, or something about them,” FBI assistant director in charge Steven D’Antuono said in a video statement.

D’Antuono said the person who is believed to have placed the pipe bombs wore a face mask, a gray sweatshirt and black and gray Nike shoes.

“One device was placed in an alley behind the RNC,” D’Antuono said. “The other was placed next to a park bench near the DNC.”

In addition to providing the physical descriptio­n of the suspect, the FBI appealed to the public to come forward with any informatio­n about people who may have experience­d changes in behavior prior to, during or after the Jan. 6 insurrecti­on.

“This could include making travel plans to Capitol Hill or researchin­g the locations of the DNC and RNC,” D’Antuono said, as well as anyone who may have purchased threaded pipe and kitchen timers prior to the incident.

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