PITTSBURGH (AP) — Authorities have detained a suspect after a car was driven into a security gate at the FBI building in Pittsburgh early Wednesday morning. Following the incident, the driver reportedly took an American flag from the back seat and threw it over the gate before departing, officials stated.
FBI spokesperson Bradford Arick said the man was taken into custody after 10 a.m. No other details were immediately available.
The impact occurred around 2:40 a.m., according to the FBI. A bomb squad and other investigators were dispatched to the scene, but no explosives were discovered, as per the FBI’s report.
“We consider this an act of terror against the FBI,” Christopher Giordano, assistant special agent in charge at the FBI in Pittsburgh, informed reporters. “This was a deliberate attack on this facility. Fortunately, no one was injured, but we are committed to using every resource available under federal law to locate, apprehend, and prosecute this individual to the fullest extent.”
Giordano said he had no information on a motive. He said the FBI was familiar with the man, a former member of the military.
“He did come here to the FBI field office a few weeks ago to make a complaint that didn’t make a whole lot of sense,” Giordano said.
Giordano said the car appeared to have some sort of message on one of the side windows, but did not elaborate.
