The FBI is releasing new video of a suspect planting a bomb near the DNC offices before the Capitol violence

WASHINGTON (AP) – A terrifying chapter in American history remains shrouded in mystery: Who planted pipe bombs outside the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees in Washington on the night of the Capitol attack?

In hopes of generating new tips from the public, the FBI is releasing more information about its pipe bomb investigation, including an estimate that the unidentified suspect is about 5 feet 7 inches tall. The bureau also includes a previously unreleased video of the suspect planting one of the bombs.

A number of fundamental questions remain unanswered four years later. First, the investigators have not determined whether the suspect is male or female. And they have never established a clear connection between the pipe bombs and the January 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol by a crowd of Donald Trump supporters.

The FBI “can't operate on assumptions,” said David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the Washington branch office.

“Without confirming the identity of the suspect, it's very difficult to get an exact motive,” Sundberg told the Associated Press. “So, it would be difficult for us to say that there is a connection, although we can't say there. It's not the other way around.”

Despite hard evidence, Republican lawmakers and right-wing media outlets have promoted conspiracy theories about pipe bombs. House Republicans also criticized the lack of security, questioning how law enforcement failed to find the bombs for 17 hours.

“We are still focused on conducting an investigation using all the tools at our disposal,” Sundberg said. “But it is in our hands to follow the facts and evidence.”

The FBI has investigated more than 600 tips, reviewed about 39,000 video files and conducted more than 1,000 interviews over the past four years. The images show that the suspect was wearing a gray sweatshirt, a face mask, black gloves and black and gray Nike Air Max Speed ​​Turf shoes with a yellow logo. A person would also wear or carry a backpack with bombs.

Surveillance video captured the suspect planting bombs near the committee offices between 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm Jan. 5, 2021. No one was injured before the bombs were contained, but the FBI says both devices were possible. which are fatal.

Kamala Harris, then Vice President-elect, was inside the DNC offices when a bomb was found outside the building at about 1:05 pm on Jan. The DNC building as it is removed from the Capitol, according to House Republicans.

This week, the FBI released a minute-long video showing the suspect sitting on a park bench outside the DNC before setting off the first bomb there at around 7:54 pm The suspect set off the second bomb around 8:16 pm, at the scene. street behind the RNC, the FBI said.

The FBI also released close-up photos of the type of Nike sneakers the suspect was wearing. Less than 25,000 pairs of the same shoe were sold between August 2018 and January 2021, according to the FBI.

“Based on the clothing, those are probably the most noticeable or distinctive feature when it comes to a suspect's clothing,” Sundberg said. “We hope someone can see that.”

The FBI used surveillance footage to track the suspect's movements on Capitol Hill on the night of Jan. 5. The suspect was captured on video at approximately 7:34 pm at the intersection of First Street and North Carolina Avenue. The suspect was last seen on camera around 8:18 pm heading east on Rumsey Court.

“The suspect in this case did a very good job of disguising himself at a time when this wouldn't have been normal, so it wasn't that big of a deal,” Sundberg said, referring to masking during the COVID-19 crisis.

Video of the suspect has been available sporadically and often at low quality, according to Sundberg. The 17-hour gap between the planting and discovery of the pipe bombs made it difficult to identify potential witnesses, he said.

Authorities previously offered a reward of up to $500,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest and conviction.

President-elect Trump, who returns to the White House on Jan. 20, has repeatedly vowed to pardon some or most of the protesters who attacked the Capitol. More than 1,500 people have been charged in connection with Jan. 6. About 1,100 have been convicted and sentenced. More than 700 defendants received sentences ranging from a few days to 22 years.

Sundberg said he does not expect the change in administration to change the FBI's investigation into the bombings.

“We don't know who the suspect is,” he added. “And I expect that we will continue to work on this case until its logical conclusion and identify the suspect.”