WASHINGTON — The FBI on Wednesday released new video of the suspect who placed pipe bombs in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. on the eve of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, with the hope of identifying the still unknown suspect.
The new video shows the suspect sitting on a bench near the Democratic National Committee Headquarters, in the area where the person later placed the pipe bomb, according to the FBI, in a news release on Wednesday. Reviews of the suspect’s behavior in the video and interviews with residents in the Capitol Hill neighborhood have led the FBI to believe the suspect is not from the area.
The suspect, who is wearing a mask and a grey hooded sweatshirt, is seen in the video carrying a backpack.
The bombs, which police have said were viable explosives, were discovered during the riot and may have been intended to explode while blocks away, supporters of then-President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol. The mob had traveled to the Capitol that day in hopes of derailing the Electoral College vote tally and overturning Trump's electoral defeat.
Additionally, the FBI released a virtual map that details the route the suspect walked while placing the two bombs on Jan. 5, from about 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. — the night before the riot.
In light of this new information, the FBI is asking the public to review the map and watch the video of the suspect. Anyone who may recognize or remember the person’s glasses, shoes, backpack, or any of the items, mannerisms or characteristics in the photos and videos is asked to contact the FBI.
Since January, the FBI has conducted more than 800 interviews, collected more than 23,000 video files, and assessed more than 300 tips related to this investigation, said Steven M. D’Antuono, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
"We know it is hard to report information about a friend or family member, but these pipe bombs were viable devices that could have detonated, causing innocent bystanders to be seriously injured or killed. Your tip could be the one that prevents this person from harming themselves or anyone else," said D’Antuono.
