The FBI increased the reward for information about pipe bombs placed outside both the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021, a day before the deadly insurrection blocks away at the Capitol building. The FBI Washington. D.C., the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department announced they are offering as much as $500,000 — up from $100,000 — for information leading to the arrest of the suspect who placed the explosives. Approaching the two-year anniversary of the Capitol riot, the FBI urged people to look at the photos and videos of the suspect — which show an individual in a mask and gray-hooded sweatshirt carrying a backpack — and come forward with any relevant information, Politico reports. “We remain grateful to the American people, who have provided invaluable tips that have helped us advance the investigation,” said the FBI's David Sundberg. “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.”
The pipe bombs, which never detonated, were discovered outside the RNC and DNC headquarters just before a mob of former President Trump’s supporters would storm the Capitol building in an attempt to halt certification of President Biden’s win in the 2020 election. It’s unclear whether there is a connection between the pipe bombs and insurrection at the Capitol, and two years later, investigators have yet to identify the suspect even after conducting about a thousand interviews and assessing nearly 500 tips. The FBI on Wednesday also asked the public for tips on individuals who may have participated in the riots at the Capitol as it continues its investigation into the deadly event. The bureau has so far arrested more than 950 people accused of taking part in the riot, charging about 200 of them with assaulting police officers.