Federal authorities are reportedly investigating an early morning incident in which a driver rammed his car into the security gate at the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office before fleeing the scene, leaving behind an American flag.
The suspect, identified as Donald Henson, struck the gate at approximately 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, according to officials. After the collision, Henson reportedly threw an American flag over the gate before running away on foot.
“This incident is considered a targeted attack against the FBI,” the agency said in a statement. “No FBI personnel were injured.”
While the FBI characterized the event as a targeted attack, officials also noted that the suspect appeared to have personal struggles.
Bradford Arick, public affairs officer for the FBI, said, “There seems to be some mental health concerns.” He added that investigators do not believe Henson was armed.
Christopher Giordano, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh office, confirmed that Henson was not a stranger to the bureau.
“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 told reporters. He also said that investigators noted writing on one of the car’s windows, though he declined to elaborate on what it said.
Authorities emphasized that no personnel were harmed and that the physical damage was limited to the security gate. Still, the incident is being treated seriously.
The FBI is leading the investigation, with Pittsburgh police confirming their assistance in the ongoing search for Henson, who has not yet been apprehended.
The unusual act — ramming a federal building’s gate, leaving behind a national flag, and then fleeing — has raised questions about both motive and message.
The fact that Henson had previously sought contact with the FBI, albeit with complaints that officials described as incoherent, suggests a broader context of discontent and instability.
For conservatives who have long criticized the FBI for what they view as political bias and heavy-handed tactics, the incident underscores the growing mistrust between ordinary Americans and federal institutions.
While officials were quick to frame Henson’s actions as a targeted attack, they also conceded that mental health may have played a central role — an acknowledgment that complicates simple narratives of political violence.
The image of an American flag thrown over the FBI gate stands out, symbolically loaded at a time when federal agencies are under scrutiny for their conduct and perceived politicization.
Conservatives have argued that the FBI must confront its own credibility challenges rather than dismissing acts of dissent, however misguided, as incomprehensible or irrational.
Still, the bureau insists its personnel remain safe and that the incident poses no ongoing threat to the public. “No FBI personnel were injured,” the agency reiterated, as the search for Henson continues.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities urging vigilance but providing no additional details on Henson’s whereabouts or possible motivations.
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