At a Glance
- Brian Cole, 30, arrested Dec. 4 for planting pipe bombs at Democratic and Republican party HQs on Jan. 5, 2021.
- Prosecutors allege he was motivated by anger toward both parties, claiming “extreme acts of violence” were justified.
- The bombs were set to detonate one hour after placement but failed to explode, sparking a federal request to keep him in custody.
Why it matters: The case raises questions about domestic threats to political institutions and the limits of pre-trial detention.
The federal request, filed Sunday, details new allegations about Cole’s motive and the failed bomb devices. Prosecutors argue the suspect’s actions were driven by a belief that “people up top” must respond to perceived election tampering, and that the bombs were intended to draw attention rather than cause mass casualties.
Prosecutors Outline Cole’s Motive
The filing says Cole harbored animosity toward both the Democratic and Republican parties. He told FBI agents that “something just snapped” after watching “everything getting worse,” and that because the parties were in charge, he felt justified in extreme acts of violence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones wrote that Cole believed public figures on both sides should not dismiss grievances as “conspiracy theorists,” “bad people,” “Nazis,” or “fascists.”
> “If people feel that their votes are like just being thrown away, then … at the very least someone should address it,” Cole said.
He denied that his actions were directed toward Congress or tied to the Jan. 6 proceedings.
Bomb Assembly and Failure to Detonate
Cole assembled the devices just hours before the Capitol riot, keeping them in a shoe box and wiping them with disinfectant wipes. He set them to detonate 60 minutes after placement, but the devices did not explode for reasons not disclosed.
He was relieved that the bombs failed to detonate because he did not want to kill people.
| Component | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe nipple | Home search | Found in shoe box |
| End caps | Home search | Iron end caps |
| Wires | Home search | Wire and wire strippers |
| 9-volt battery | Home search | Found in shopping bag |
| Homemade black powder | Alleged | Not recovered |
Agents also found a receipt for hand sanitizer and pipe nipples in Cole’s car, and a shopping bag with end caps and a 9-volt battery. He discarded all bomb-making materials at a dump after seeing himself on the news.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones noted that first responders, party leaders, the Vice President-elect, and the Speaker of the House drove by the bombs before they were discovered.
> “Ultimately, it was luck, not lack of effort, that the defendant failed to detonate one or both of his devices and that no one was killed or maimed due to his actions,” Jones wrote.
The filing concludes that Cole’s failure to detonate the bombs does not mitigate the profoundly dangerous nature of his crimes.
Key Takeaways
- Brian Cole, 30, is accused of planting pipe bombs at party headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021.
- He claimed anger at both parties justified “extreme acts of violence” and sought to make a statement.
- The devices were set to detonate an hour later but did not explode, and he expressed relief that no one was harmed.
The case underscores the ongoing threat of domestic extremism targeting political institutions and the legal steps taken to prevent further danger.
