Brian Cole: The DC Pipe Bomber

Next question: whether he was working alone.

The DC Pipe Bomber has been arrested.

It’s Brian Cole Jr., a 30 year-old black male from Woodbridge, Virginia. He was taken into custody this morning. The home he shared with his parents was searched by law enforcement.

So far, he faces charges of: (1) the transportation of an explosive device in interstate commerce with intent to kill, injure, or intimidate in violation of 18 USC 844(d); and (2) attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials in violation of 18 USC 844 (i). He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Physically, Cole matches the profile of the bomber. He’s around 5’6”, which is a near match to the FBI’s estimate of 5’7” (plus or minus an inch).

More importantly, all the evidence points to Brian Cole. As detailed in the FBI affidavit in support of its criminal complaint, Cole’s purchase history itself is a near-smoking gun:

• He purchased the same galvanized pipes used in the bombs at two different Northern Virginia Home Depot locations in June and November 2020.

• Cole purchased 12 pipe end caps (consistent with those found outside the RNC and DNC) from four different Home Depot locations in 2019 and 2020.

• Cole bought 9V battery connectors from Micro Center in Northern Virginia in 2019. Cole purchased steel wool from Home Depot in 2020.

• He bought two white kitchen timers from a Wal-Mart in Northern Virginia in June 2020 that matched those found at the scenes.

  

But it doesn’t stop there. As explained by the FBI, Cole “purchased equipment that would facilitate the manufacturing of a pipe bomb:

• Safety glasses in July 2020.

• A wire stripping tool and wire nuts on November 14, 2020.

• Sandpaper and a machinist’s file tool on November 21, 2020.

• Protective gloves and disinfecting wipes on November 24, 2020.

But to build a strong case you need more. You need his proximity to the RNC and the DNC on January 5, 2021. And the FBI has it.

• Cole’s cell phone engaged with multiple cell phone towers in the area of the RNC and DNC on the night of January 5, 2021. The interactions with these towers match the movements of the suspect caught on video.

• Cole owns a 2017 Nissan Sentra. It was observed at 7:10 p.m. on January 5, 2021 less than a half mile away from where the suspect was seen on video approximately 30 minutes later.

• On December 14, 2020, around three weeks before the bombs were placed, Cole made a purchase at a restaurant in proximity to the RNC and DNC. Perhaps he was hungry. Or perhaps he was scoping his route and areas of placement.

As we learned from today’s press conference, Cole’s arrest was not the result of new leads or new tips. Instead, it was the result of diligent agents poring through their investigative files and putting the pieces together. Apparently the FBI had at least least some of this data for years.

As explained by Attorney General Pam Bondi:

“Let me be clear: There was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work, working as a team along with ATF, Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police Department, and, of course, the FBI.”

FBI Director Kash Patel also provided context, stating that as a result of their exhaustive review of existing evidence, they “generated numerous investigative leads, executed multiple legal processes with our U.S. Attorney partners, and came to this conclusion today. And that is why we were able to safely secure this individual into custody.”

What a catch by the Patel, Bongino, and Bondi team.

And what an embarrassment to former Director Wray and the Biden Administration. Either they failed to identify Cole through incompetence or some ulterior motive - namely, that Cole’s profile didn’t fit the narrative that a disgruntled Trump-voting extremist placed the bombs. While it is impossible to write-off either option, we lean towards incompetence, if only because the political value in catching the bomber would seemingly outweigh any shift in narrative. But that’s our judgment and maybe those officials thought different. It didn’t help Wray, et al. that the FBI’s resources were focused on the January 6 protesters: peaceful grandmothers, fathers and sons, and others whose homes were raided for “misdemeanors.”

As to Brian Cole himself?

The family is shocked. This is how his grandmother described him to the New York Post: “He’s almost autistic-like because he doesn’t understand a lot of stuff. He’s very naive… He would not hurt a fly. He’s just not that kind of person.”

Maybe she’s telling the truth. Or maybe that’s how most every grandma would react when their dear grandson is arrested.

Cole doesn’t have much of an online presence - or at least one that we’ve seen. Reports are that he is antisocial and keeps to himself. There must be something out there to prove motive. According to MSNBC (rebranded as MSNOW), Cole “has been associated with pro-anarchist ideological statements.”

Perhaps Cole was just pissed off at the government. Records show that Cole’s father owed a substantial sum in back taxes. There was a lien against the family home. Cole worked for his father’s bail bonds company. As reported by Luke Rosiak at the Daily Wire, his father’s company “secured bond for thousands” of illegal immigrants. When the immigrants didn’t appear at their hearing, their would be on the hook for millions of dollars. The bonds company lost that case at the U.S. Court of Appeals in DC on November 10, 2020. Based on his purchase history, Cole likely took some of his final steps in building the bombs after that ruling.

Perhaps it is a combination of those motives - the anger about the case and the lien, Cole’s political ideology.

No doubt there is more to the story. We assume the search of electronic devices seized in his home is ongoing and it is quite possible that there is more physical evidence inside the home tying him to the bombs, whether it is the shoes or the clothing or materials and equipment.

The final question is whether Cole was working alone - assuming there is no crazy surprise that excludes him as a suspect. From the evidence cited by the FBI, it appears he probably built the bombs on his own. (It’s obvious he placed them alone.) And if he did build them alone, the Trump Administration needs to provide a clear answer either way as to whether he was encouraged to do so.