FBI Patel faces criticisms of early error in the murdered case of Charlie Kirk

The success of the FBI in the apprehension of the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk came one day after the director Kash Patel initially declared that a suspect was in detention, a decision which triggered the dismay and the criticism while the nation was in the process of winning the violent death of Kirk.

The fake step of a patel during the quick investigation was overshadowed on Friday by the new revolutionary that a 22 -year -old Utah man had been detained and faced accusations for the deadly shooting. But the faults during the 33 -hour swirling man hunting did not go unnoticed.

Patel announced Thursday – then quickly retracted – that the authorities had detained the person responsible for the death of Kirk.

Laura Ingraham of Fox News responded “Unreal” to the revelation of the Patel that the shooter was still at freedom. Conservative activist Chris Rofo said on Friday that he was “grateful” that the authorities arrested a suspect, but that he was “time for the Republicans to reassess” if a patel was able to employ.

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FBI director Kash Patel speaks at a press conference after the deadly filming of political activist Charlie Kirk during an event at the University of Utah Valley on September 12, 2025 in Orem, Utah. (Michael Ciaglo / Getty Images)

“He has played terribly in recent days”, ” Rofo wrote Friday on social networks, adding that he discussed with conservative leaders who question the FBI leadership structure, which includes a patel, the deputy director Dan Bongino and, from next week, Andrew Bailey, who assumes the unprecedented role of the director of the FBI co-deput.

The backlash began after Patel said Thursday that “the subject of the horrible shooting today who took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in detention”, before saying less than two hours later that he had the bad person.

“The subject in detention was released after interrogation by the police,” said Patel, adding that the investigation was underway.

Charlie Kirk’s alleged murderer identified himself after the deadly filming in an influential conservative voice in Utah

A view of flowers and photographs posed by mourning people outside the United States Embassy in Pretoria on September 11, 2025. (Phill Magakoe / AFP / Getty Images)

At the same time as Patel said that the killer had been captured, officials of the UTAH law application gave a press conference saying that the shooter was generally, which led social media to transmit confusion on mixed messages.

Blip during the manhunt for the person responsible for the kirk murder also highlighted the apparent fixation of the patel and bongino on social networks, a point that a trial against the patel and the Ministry of Justice has planned detailed days.

The trial was brought by three senior FBI officials who alleged that their constitutional rights had been raped when they were dismissed without explanation. One of the licensed officials said that Patel and Bongino deplored the “political capital” they had to spend to keep the official at work, a reference to the pressure that Patel and Bongino put themselves on social networks about the official. Patel and Bongino actions were often dictated by comments on social networks, the trial said.

On Thursday, a delayed press conference also fueled a press conference that offered new details when the investigation was underway. Patel appeared during the press conference but did not speak. Friday morning, after announcing the arrest of the suspect, the director of the FBI made remarks of gratitude to the agency, local police, the media and the public for contributing to the arrest. Patel clearly indicated that he had directed the FBI behind the scenes in the last two days.

Podcast host “Warroom”, Steve Bannon, a former Trump advisor, said his show That he did not know “why Kash Patel stole there, thousands of kilometers” simply to thank people. Bannon suggested wanting more details on the suspect and any possible accomplice.

At this point, the Trump administration has not shown no outside sign to wobble on the patel. Fox News Digital contacted the White House and the FBI to comment.

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An FBI agent looks at himself near the University of Utah Valley where evidence was collected while the authorities were investigating the shooting of political activist Charlie Kirk on September 11, 2025 in Orem, Utah. (Michael Ciaglo / Getty Images)

The White House did not respond. A familiar source said that the publication of the Patel’s social media during the Kirk affair could have been better managed, but that its initial erroneous message and its surrounding criticism came during the “fog of war” because the investigation quickly evolved and that the emotions were high. The source said that the emphasis should be put on the success of the FBI operation and the “good police job”.

A spokesperson for the patel highlighted a statement that she published online stressing that the FBI’s mission to identify the Kirk assassin was a success and that Patel was intentional at each stage of the process.

“In the past few days, what counted is not an ignorant criticism or small hypotheses – it is the pursuit of justice. The justice which has been promised, justice which has now been rendered,” said spokesperson Erica Knight.

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An agent of the retired FBI who worked at the office for two decades said that the premature patel post seemed “reckless” and “too fast for the draw”, but the retired agent also declared that he had considered him a problem that was going beyond the patel.

“It becomes a popularity competition,” said the retired agent at Fox News Digital. “It is not necessarily something new either, because J. Edgar Hoover was important to take advantage of the press so that the FBI is beautiful. I mean, it was known for that. This tradition in the office continued, but now it’s a bit like that on steroids.”