‘Act of terror’: Man rams car into FBI Pittsburgh office gate; suspect flees scene on foot

Image: CRUX

A man rammed a white Toyota sedan into a metal gate at the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office early Wednesday, in what authorities are calling an “act of terror.”The suspect, identified as Donald Henson of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, struck the entrance around 2.40 am before exiting the car, retrieving an American flag from inside, and tossing it over the gate, FBI Special agent in charge Christopher Giordano said. Witnesses reported he then walked away calmly, “like nothing happened.””We look at this as an act of terror against the FBI,” Giordano said as quoted by CBS. “This was a targeted attack on this building.”Henson fled the scene on foot after the incident and may pose a danger, though it remains unclear whether he was armed, Giordano said. No FBI personnel were injured.The car Henson used had a message scrawled on one of its side windows. Investigators are examining the writing, and a bomb squad was called in to secure the vehicle, as per the FBI. Officials also confirmed that Henson had visited the Pittsburgh office in recent days.”Right now, he is wanted in connection with this crime against the FBI” Giordano was quoted as saying by CBS. “It is a federal offense and we will be seeking prosecution to the fullest extent.” Henson, a former military member, may have been dealing with mental health issues. The car he used had a message written on one of its side windows, which investigators are still reviewing, as per the FBI. A bomb squad was deployed to secure the vehicle, and officials confirmed Henson had recently visited the Pittsburgh FBI office.Nakeisha Brown, a nearby worker, said she first heard screeching tires before witnessing the aftermath of the crash and seeing a man step out of the vehicle.”He got out and went around the passenger side and pulled something out of the passenger side,” Brown was quoted as saying by WTAE. “I thought it was a gun but it happened to be a flag and he just set it on that fence and started yelling out some words and just took off.”“He just walked away like nothing happened,” added another worker.