Kamala Harris came within 20 feet of planted pipe bomb on Jan. 6: report
Vice President Kamala Harris was within feet of a “viable” pipe bomb that had been planted outside the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters on Jan. 6, 2021, a new report claims.
The pipe bomb was planted in a bush right outside the office, according to a new report from the Department of Homeland Security’s internal watchdog, that was obtained by ABC News.
“The pipe bomb had been placed near the building the night before, but … [a]dvance security sweeps by the Secret Service at the DNC building did not include the outside area where a pipe bomb had been placed,” the report claims.
“[Harris], traveling in an armored vehicle with her motorcade, entered the DNC building via a ramp within 20 feet of the pipe bomb,” the report said.
The pipe bomb was found an hour and 40 minutes after Harris entered the building.
It then took Secret Service 10 minutes to evacuate her, with her spending one hour and 50 minutes inside the building in total, according to the report.
The report also describes how two Secret Service canine teams assigned to sweep the building were “surprised” additional assets weren’t being provided to help, the report said.
Service policies at the time required fewer assets for those who had been elected to an office but not yet sworn in.
Since then, the Secret Service has updated its policies to include additional assets for “‘elect’ protectees,” according to the report.
Federal authorities have not yet determined who planted the pipe bomb, as well as a similar device found at the Republican National Committee’s headquarters.
Security camera footage released by the FBI, which is offering $500,000 reward, shows the suspect walking on a street near the buildings.
“Although these bombs did not detonate, it is important to remember the suspect walked along residential and commercial areas in Capitol Hill just blocks from the U.S. Capitol with viable pipe bombs that could have seriously injured or killed innocent bystanders,” the FBI said in a statement seeking the public’s help earlier this year. “Moreover, the suspect may still pose a danger to the public or themselves.”
The bombshell report was released as the FBI grapples with the aftermath of an attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. last month.
Investigators are still struggling to piece together a motive explaining why 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks scaled a nearby building and fired into a crowd of Trump supporters, grazing the ex-president on the ear, killing a hero firefighter and badly injuring two other rally-goers.
The Secret Service fatally shot Crooks within seconds of him hitting Trump.
