A man drove a car into the gate at the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office in the early hours of Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in what the agency described as an intentional "act of terror," officials said.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Giordano told reporters the driver, identified as Donald Henson of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, allegedly rammed the main entrance gate at about 2:40 a.m. in a white Toyota sedan, then exited the vehicle, removed an American flag from inside the car and threw it over the gate before fleeing on foot. Giordano said investigators regard the incident as a targeted attack on the building and that the suspect may be dangerous; it was not immediately clear whether he was armed.
Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and secured the immediate area, Giordano said during a briefing. Authorities were continuing to search for Henson and were coordinating with local and federal partners. No further details on the suspect’s motive or whether any injuries occurred were released at the briefing.
Giordano characterized the event as an ‘‘act of terror against the FBI’’ and said the agency is treating the incident as a targeted attack. Investigators were examining the vehicle and the scene for evidence and reviewing any available surveillance footage, he said. Local police and other federal investigators were assisting the FBI’s Pittsburgh office.
The FBI routinely protects its facilities while also investigating threats and attacks against its personnel and property. Attacks on federal law enforcement facilities are investigated as potential federal crimes, and the agency typically coordinates prosecutions with U.S. attorneys when sufficient evidence is developed.
Officials urged anyone with information about the incident or the whereabouts of the suspect to contact the FBI. The agency said the investigation was ongoing and additional information would be released as it became available.