The individual accused of attempting to detonate bombs at both the Republican and Democratic National Committee buildings in Washington, DC on Jan. 5, 2021, was an avid fan of My Little Pony.
Brian Cole Jr., 30, seemed deeply absorbed in the line of toy dolls that are marketed to young girls, creating artwork featuring the plastic ponies, remixing songs about them, and writing fan fiction devoted to these characters.
His creations can be found on several social‑media sites that are linked to Cole’s email address and phone number.
In one photograph, a Pony fan painting that appears to be based on a Star Wars video‑game is attributed to Cole under the username iDeltaVelocity (credit: iDeltaVelocity/Derpibooru).
A separate image shows Cole, a resident of Woodbridge, Virginia, charged with planting two pipe bombs in DC on Jan. 5, 2021 (credit: Department of Justice).
As iDeltaVelocity, Cole uploaded 87 pictures of My Little Pony fan art to a forum, depicting various pony and unicorn characters. One illustration shows a pony with a bionic leg brace; many of his favorites are pink or purple, sporting long, multicolored manes.
In one post a “Star Wars”‑inspired pony says in a speech bubble, “I’m not ‘cute,’ I’m deadly,” a line Cole claims comes from the game Star Wars: The Old Republic.
A Tumblr account that used one of Cole’s usernames commented on a drawing of a pony holding an M60 machine gun, writing, “Eh… I’d give her an RPG. What can I say? Explosions are COOL!” (referring to a Rocket‑Propelled Grenade launcher).
Another illustration produced by an account linked to Cole again shows a pink and purple pony with a long, multicolored mane (credit: iDeltaVelocity/Derpibooru).
Cole’s 87 images received plenty of encouragement from other fans online (credit: iDeltaVelocity/Derpibooru).
People who participate in the My Little Pony subculture are called “Bronies.” By 2017 the community was large enough to host annual conventions, and experts noted that most followers were sincere in their fandom.
None of the posts Cole posted that The Post reviewed contained noticeable sexual content. One fan fiction story, presumably authored by Cole, blends My Little Pony fantasy with horror:
“Applebloom’s eyes snapped open as she sat up in her bed, panting heavily and sweat dripping from her red mane… The skeletons, the zombified ponies rising up from the ground, their decaying bodies, rotting flesh sliding off from their bones,” he allegedly wrote. “She buried her face in her hooves, crying silently at the horrible images that inhabited her mind.” (link: fanfiction.net)
A former high‑school classmate told The Washington Post that Cole once carried a My Little Pony backpack and was teased for it.
Footage released by the FBI shows the suspect placing a pipe bomb outside the Republican Committee headquarters (credit: REUTERS).
Another shot illustrates that the bomb was left in an alley between the Capitol Hill Club and the Republican HQ (credit: REUTERS).
“The subculture of Bronies was very online and unique and attracted a lot of male fans, who were breaking gender norms, which attracted a lot of attention,” said Dr. Daniel Chadborn, an assistant professor of psychology and author of Meet the Bronies: The Psychology of the Adult My Little Pony Fandom.
He added that the subculture was not generally sexual and expressed that he was not surprised to find troubled individuals within it.
“Someone who is disaffected is often going to look for spaces to engage in, for a sense of identity and belonging.”
Hasbro, the toy company behind My Little Pony, has not yet responded to a request for comment from The Post.
Since his arrest last week, only limited information has surfaced and no clear motive for Cole’s actions has emerged. He has been described as reclusive, walking his Chihuahua around the neighborhood, and living with his family, according to earlier reporting by The Post.
Another surveillance camera image shows the suspect planting one of the pipe bombs on Jan. 5, 2021 (credit: FBI).
A close view of the device—never detonated before bomb squad intervention—was captured by the AP (credit: AP).
His grandmother described him as “almost autistic‑like, because he doesn’t understand a lot of stuff,” and noted that he worked for the family bail‑bond company, Brian Cole Bail Bonds.
On a different Tumblr account, Cole listed his interests: “Parkour, music, video games (mainly horror), drawing, improving myself philosophically, anime.”
When asked how he copes with a bad mood, he replied, “Smashing my head on my keyboard…”
Another fan‑fiction project he started involved creating a comic, though he finished only the first eight pages (credit: iDeltaVelocity/Derpibooru).
The names he used online include iDeltaVelocity, Delta1Forgotten, Bron1Delta, and Blue Velocity.
Under Blue Velocity, he posted electro‑swing songs some of which incorporated My Little Pony themes, such as “Pony I Want to Be (iDeltaVelocity remix)” and “Doin’ the Equestrian Jive.”
After 2020, his online activity declined. By that time he was already setting his pipe‑bomb plan in motion, according to authorities. They say he was shopping at several retailers in northern Virginia—Home Depot, Micro Center, Lowe’s, and Walmart—to gather materials for the crude bombs, none of which exploded.
Cole now faces charges for transporting an explosive device across state lines with the intent to kill, injure, or damage property, and for attempting malicious destruction with explosive materials. He has reportedly confessed to the police, according to sources.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
