Riot on Capitol Hill: Homemade bombs discovered on January 6 were planted the night before, according to the FBI

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Federal authorities again upped the reward for information about the pipe bomber and released new details and photos of a suspect on Friday, underscoring the urgency for the Justice Department to address this angle of the investigation, which remains one of the most troubling mysteries for law enforcement.

A new wanted poster says the bombs were placed between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on January 5, the day before the uprising.

The FBI also identified the suspect’s shoes as Nike Air Max Speed ​​Turf shoes in yellow, black and gray, and included enhanced photos of them, along with pictures of the devices.

The reward for information leading to the location, arrest and conviction of the person (s) responsible for planting the bomb is now $ 100,000. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had already increased the reward once – to $ 75,000 – earlier this month.

At approximately 1:00 p.m. EST on January 6, 2021, several law enforcement agencies received reports of a suspected homemade bomb with wires at the Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters located at 310 First Street Southeast in Washington. , DC about 1 hour. : 3 p.m. EST, a second suspected homemade bomb with similar descriptors was reported at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at 430 South Capitol Street Southeast # 3 in Washington, DC

CNN was the first to report on Wednesday that the bombs were eight inches long and were made of galvanized steel, according to a law enforcement official. They had been rigged on timers and filled with explosive powder, the official said. Investigators examined the remains of the devices at the FBI lab in Virginia and urged the public to submit information, fearing the bomber may still be on the job.

The bombs were discovered minutes apart around 1 p.m. ET on January 6, just as a crowd of angry supporters of President Donald Trump descended on the building after a nearby rally with the president, according to an account. rendering of the interim leader. Capitol Hill gave lawmakers Tuesday and the FBI poster.

Agents from the ATF, FBI, US Capitol Police and DC Metropolitan Police responded to the scene at both offices, less than a quarter mile apart and a few blocks away. houses south of the Capitol, and the bombs exploded safely on the robot scene.

Investigators are considering the possibility that the devices were part of a plan to divert law enforcement resources from Capitol Hill as rioters began to break in.

One, by the offices of the Republican National Committee, was discovered by a 36-year-old woman on her way home after putting on a load of laundry.

“I just looked at it by accident,” Karlin Younger told the Wisconsin State Journal. “And I noticed that near the recycling bin there was this tangle of wires.”

It is still unclear why the devices did not explode, the law enforcement official told CNN earlier this week. One theory under investigation is that the timers have been set incorrectly. Another is that the batteries may have been incorrectly connected, the official said.

A photo of the person suspected of planting the bombs, taken from surveillance footage, was widely shared by law enforcement.

In the photos, the person appears in a gray hooded sweatshirt and is wearing a backpack.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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