The FBI is on the hunt for Donald Henson, a man from Penn Hills who reportedly crashed his car into the gate of the FBI's Pittsburgh Field office early this morning, an act the agency is calling an "act of terror." According to CBS News, witnesses observed Henson drape an American flag over the gate and leave the scene on foot, with the whole incident occurring around 2:40 a.m. The vehicle bore a message scrawled in red on the driver's side door, though the motive remains unknown, while the FBI sees this as a "targeted attack on this building."
Christopher Giordano, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the FBI in Pittsburgh, voiced that this strike against the agency is not taken lightly and the perpetrator would be prosecuted to the fullest extent; he said, "We look at this as an act of terror against the FBI," a sentiment echoed in information detailed by WPXI, putting the agency on high alert. Notably, Henson has visited the FBI office before making a complaint that lacked clarity and substance, and was followed up on to no avail, as it presented no federal charges, prompting further scrutiny of his motivations behind the incident.
Authorities have not reported any injuries from the crash, and there have been no sightings of Henson since the event. According to WPXI, Henson is not believed to be armed, but with a history of mental health issues and past military service, he is still considered dangerous by the FBI. The investigation team has gone over his social media profiles and pulled in a bomb squad for an extensive evaluation of the vehicle to ensure there was no ongoing threat.
The federal law enforcement community asks anyone with knowledge of Henson's whereabouts to reach out and provide relevant information; persons could call 911 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or submit a tip online.
