FBI Investigating ‘Targeted Attack’ at Pittsburgh Office

The FBI’s Pittsburgh field office is investigating a “targeted attack” that took place in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 17.

“At approximately 2:40 a.m., an individual driving a white sedan proceeded to ram one of the vehicle entrance gates at FBI Pittsburgh,” authorities wrote on social media. “This individual exited the vehicle, removed an American flag from the backseat, and threw it onto the damaged gate. The individual then left the scene on foot.” 

Investigators identified the individual in question as Donald Henson, a Penn Hills, Penn., (a township east of Pittsburgh) resident.

Noting that “No FBI personnel were injured” in the incident, the agency went on to add, “This incident is considered a targeted attack against the FBI.”

FBI Pittsburgh Public Affairs Specialist Bradford Arick tells PEOPLE, “This is not an official terrorism investigation. This is a targeted attack directed at FBI Pittsburgh.”

Arick also confirms that Henson is still at large. 

“The public is asked to avoid this individual and if seen, immediately call 911, call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or make a report online tips.fbi.gov,” FBI Pittsburgh shared in their statement. 

As for what led the field office to deem this a “targeted attack” versus a terrorism incident, Arick did not provide further details but noted, “There was some messaging on the vehicle itself but it’s not clear at this point if it’s connected to the incident.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Giordano said in a press conference that Henson’s alleged act “is a federal offense and we will be seeking prosecution to the fullest extent.”

While the suspect remains at large, Giordano said, “We don’t have any indication that he is armed. We do believe that he has a mental health problem and a history of mental health issues with the subject, so we would consider him dangerous.”

Giordano added that Henson is believed to be a “former military member.” 

Henson visited the FBI Pittsburgh offices in recent weeks, making undisclosed claims. 

“In scouring our indexes, we did find him. He did come here to the FBI field offices a few weeks ago to make a complaint that didn’t make a whole lot of sense,” Giordano said. “But we ran down everything he came in with. It didn’t have a federal nexus. We contacted him and let him know that there was no federal crime that we were able to charge.”

Despite Arick telling PEOPLE that this was “not an official terrorism investigation,” Giordano said in his press conference, “We look at this as an act of terror against the FBI.”