Reports indicate the suspect affixed a US flag to the FBI’s Pittsburgh building’s damaged gate prior to his escape.
An individual intentionally drove a vehicle into the entrance gates of the FBI’s Pittsburgh facility, an act the agency characterized as a deliberate assault.
The FBI confirmed the event transpired at 2:40 AM local time on Wednesday, with no reported injuries.
Per an agency statement, the assailant, named as Donald Henson from Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, took an American flag from his white sedan and cast it onto the compromised gate before making his getaway on foot.
During a press briefing, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Giordano declared that the agency considers the occurrence “as an act of terror against the FBI,” as reported by ABC News.
The official pledged that law enforcement agencies “will utilize every available legal power under federal statutes to locate, capture, and pursue the maximum prosecution of this individual.”
Giordano indicated that the vehicle bore “some vulgarity” inscribed on its side, though specifics regarding the message’s content have not been disclosed. He further noted, nonetheless, that the inscription seemed to allude to suicide.
Giordano informed reporters that despite the immediate uncertainty regarding the suspect’s armament, the individual was identified as a former service member and could pose a threat. He clarified that Henson holds the registration for the involved sedan.
The official posited that the suspect might have recently been grappling with mental health concerns. Giordano stated that Henson had visited the FBI Pittsburgh office in recent weeks to file a complaint that “didn’t make a whole lot of sense.”