- Amid DC rioting on Wednesday, a pipe bomb was found at the Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters were evacuated over a suspicious package, The New York Times reported.
- The RNC and DNC are blocks away from the US Capitol, where pro-Trump rioters attempted a coup.
- Another pipe bomb was found and safely detonated in the Capitol complex, CNN reported.
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A pipe bomb was found at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee (RNC) in Washington, DC, as pro-Trump rioters stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday, The New York Times reported. Also on Wednesday afternoon, a suspicious package was found at the nearby headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), The Times said.
The explosive device at the RNC was destroyed by a bomb squad, according to The Times, citing an RNC official. A Democrat told The Times anonymously that the contents of the package had not yet been identified.
Authorities also found a pickup truck parked outside the RNC headquarters that reportedly held rifles, ammunition, and shotguns, The Washington Post reported, citing two sources familiar with the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Agents were investigating whether the truck was linked to the pipe bombs, the sources said, according to The Post.
The RNC and DNC are both only blocks away from the Capitol.
CNN anchor Jim Sciutto reported that another suspected pipe bomb was found within the Capitol complex, citing an unnamed federal law enforcement official.
Representatives for the RNC and DNC’s press offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
At the same time, rioters were attempting a coup, as Trump supporters entered congressional chambers in the Capitol. Vice President Mike Pence, whom Trump had angrily tweeted about earlier on Wednesday, and members of Congress were evacuated from the building as they had been meeting to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s election win.
As members of Congress urged the mobs to leave the Capitol, many pleaded with Trump to tell his supporters to leave. The FBI and National Guard have been deployed to Washington, and Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a citywide curfew beginning at 6 pm on Wednesday.
Update: This story has been updated to note The Washington Post’s reporting regarding a truck parked outside the RNC’s headquarters.
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