A suspect rammed a car into a security gate at the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office early Wednesday in what authorities described as an intentional act of terror.
Donald Phillip Henson of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, allegedly told investigators he rammed the Sidney Street Gate to “make a statement” and quoted John Wilkes Booth’s famous line, “Sic semper tyrannis,” during a confession, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court. FBI Special Agent in Charge Sarah Esposito said the remark is famously associated with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
The incident occurred around 2:40 a.m. on Sept. 17, 2025, when a white 2022 Toyota Corolla registered to Henson rammed into one of two gates securing the FBI Pittsburgh field office, causing significant damage to the gate. The FBI preliminarily estimated that repairing or replacing the gate will cost significantly more than $1,000, according to Esposito. The impact created a gap in the Sidney Street Gate that could have allowed a person to circumvent security and enter the FBI facility. After the collision, the driver exited the vehicle, walked toward the driver’s side rear door, retrieved an American flag from inside the car, and placed it on the damaged gate before walking away from the scene. No FBI personnel were hurt.
Images show the damaged gate and the vehicle involved in the breach.
FBI officials described the incident as a deliberate act, and authorities charged Henson with damaging government property or contracts and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers or employees, according to the complaint. FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Giordano said Henson had recently visited the Pittsburgh office, adding that he had come in to file a complaint that authorities determined did not involve a federal offense. Investigators “ran down everything that he came down with,” Giordano said, concluding there was no federal nexus at that earlier contact.
The case remains under investigation by the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, with prosecutors weighing additional charges as authorities review surveillance footage and interview witnesses. The episode, details of which were first reported by Fox News, has drawn attention to security at federal facilities and to how threats are handled when there is no immediate federal nexus.
Authorities have not described any motive beyond stating the act was intentional and aimed at signaling a statement to authorities. The FBI has not indicated any ongoing threat to the public stemming from this incident. The public should expect updates as more information becomes available.