Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, has said that DNA evidence found by investigators links the man accused of killing rightwing political activist Charlie Kirk to the fatal attack despite his alleged refusal to cooperate with authorities after his arrest.
Speaking on the conservative-friendly Fox News network on Monday morning, Patel said that DNA found on a towel wrapped around the rifle believed to have been used to kill Kirk matches that of the suspect in custody, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
The arrest of Robinson was announced Friday, two days into a manhunt set off by Kirk’s killing during an event at Utah Valley University (UVU). Robinson ultimately turned himself over to investigators after a relative recognized him in suspect photos released by investigators after Kirk’s killing.
Patel also said that additional DNA found on a screwdriver recovered from the roof of a building on the UVU campus also has been “positively processed for the suspect in custody”.
The rifle itself, Patel added, is currently being processed at the federal Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) laboratories in Maryland.
During Monday’s interview, the Fox News hosts also asked Patel about reports that the suspect had written a note prior to the shooting.
“The written note we believe did exist, and we have evidence to show what was in that note, which is, and I’m going to summarize … the suspect wrote a note basically saying, ‘I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.’
“That note was written before the shooting.”
Patel said there was evidence that the note existed at the home Robinson shared with his partner but it was “destroyed”. “We have found forensic evidence of the note, and we have confirmed what that note says because of our aggressive interview posture at the FBI,” Patel said.
In another interview on Monday morning, FBI co-deputy director Dan Bongino told Fox News that Robinson appeared to have exhibited “multiple warning signs”.
“I believe co-workers stated he had detached himself when the topic of politics came up and walked away,” Bongino said.
Bongino added that “based on statements from family members, friends and some of the messaging we have from the digital footprints left behind that he clearly had some obsession with Charlie Kirk.”
On Sunday, Spencer Cox said that Robinson was not cooperating with investigators. But, the Republican Utah governor said, authorities were gathering information from family members and people close to Robinson.
Cox also said that Robinson had come “from a conservative family” but that “his ideology was different than his family”. Patel echoed Cox on Monday, accusing Robinson of disliking “what Charlie stood for”.
Patel’s remarks on Monday morning revealing new details in the investigation into Kirk’s killing came amid criticism of his handling of the case.
Hours after the killing, Patel had announced on social media that a “subject” was in custody, only to say in another post a few hours later that the individual had been released after questioning and that the shooter was still at large.
Dick Durbin, the Democratic senator of Illinois, called Patel’s premature announcement “amateur hour” and questioned his professionalism. Conservative activist Christopher Rufo questioned Patel’s leadership, saying that it was “time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI”, adding that the agency’s director “performed terribly in the last few days”.
Furthermore, Patel attracted derision after ending a speech at a news conference by saying he would see Kirk one day in “Valhalla”, a heaven of sorts for warriors in Norse mythology.
Patel defended his handling of the investigation Monday.
“I was being transparent,” Patel told Fox News, referring to the social media updates. “The job of the FBI is not just to manhunt the actual suspect, but it’s also to eliminate targets and subjects who are not involved. Could I have worded it a little better? Sure. Do I regret putting it out? Absolutely not.”
He added: “I was telling the world what the FBI was doing as we were doing and I’m continuing to do that.”
A motive for Kirk’s killing remains unclear. But more information on that front could come on Tuesday, when Cox said he was expecting Robinson to be formally charged with the killing.
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