The FBI is now offering a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in connection to pipe bombs near the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC the night before the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot.
The FBI bumped up the reward from $100,000 on Wednesday. The increased amount comes days before the two-year anniversary of the insurrection.
"For two years, a dedicated team of FBI agents, analysts, and law enforcement partners have been tirelessly reviewing evidence and digital media related to this case," David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, said in a statement. "Despite the unprecedented volume of data review involved in this case, the FBI and our partners continue to work relentlessly to bring the perpetrator of these dangerous attempted attacks to justice."
Little information has been released about the investigation since the pipe bombs, which were viable but never detonated, were discovered.
The FBI said the suspect placed two pipe bombs in a Capitol Hill neighborhood between approximately 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 -- the night before the riots at the U.S. Capitol. One pipe bomb was placed in an alley behind the headquarters of the Republican National Committee, and the other was placed next to a park bench near the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.
The suspect wore a face mask, glasses, gloves, a grey hooded sweatshirt, and black and light grey Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes with a yellow logo. They used a backpack to transport each of the devices.
The FBI said many of the components used to build the pipe bombs were widely available for purchase in-store and online. Some of the components used to construct the devices include 1x8-inch threaded galvanized pipes, end caps, kitchen timers, wires, metal clips, and homemade black powder.
To date, the FBI and other law enforcement have conducted approximately 1,000 interviews, visited more than 1,200 homes and businesses, collected more than 39,000 video files, and assessed nearly 500 tips. Still, two years later, the suspect's identity remains a mystery.
"With the significantly increased reward, we urge those who may have previously hesitated to contact us—or who may not have realized they had important information—to review the information on our website and come forward with anything relevant," Sundberg said.
The FBI is encouraging everyone to take a fresh look at its Seeking Information website, which includes images and video of the suspect. Anyone with information is urged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or you can submit online at tips.fbi.gov. Tips can remain anonymous.
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