FBI agents in Salt Lake City reportedly sat on a crucial photo of the suspected assassin who assassinated Charlie Kirk for nearly 12 hours before sharing it with their boss, Director Kash Patel.
This delay prompted an angry response from Patel, who was incensed that he was not informed more quickly.
Charlie Kirk, the fearless founder of Turning Point USA and a relentless voice against the radical left’s agenda, was murdered in cold blood on Wednesday while addressing thousands of students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Just hours after the assassination, Kash Patel announced that a second person of interest had been taken into custody following Kirk’s murder. Law enforcement at the time claimed the assassin was “dressed in all dark clothing” and fired a single shot “potentially from a roof.”
But hours later, Patel confirmed that the individual questioned had been released after interrogation.
“The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency,” Kash Patel said.
The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 10, 2025
The FBI said during a press conference on Thursday that the assassin walked by several Ring cameras as he strolled through a neighborhood on his way to the campus.
TMZ obtained video of the suspected assassin dressed in all black walking through a neighborhood with a strange gait.
The Utah Public Safety Administration released four additional photos of the alleged shooter late Thursday night.
We’re releasing additional photos of the person of interest in connection with the murder of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Please send all tips available to: https://t.co/XXzYBH1GkE pic.twitter.com/DgLOlrU6Cx
— Utah Public Safety (@UtahDPS) September 12, 2025
However, a new revelation from the New York Times shows that FBI agents in Salt Lake City withheld the photo of the suspected killer for nearly 12 hours before finally presenting it to their boss.
The shocking delay outraged Director Patel, who reportedly exploded during a Thursday morning online meeting with 200 agents.
The New York Times reported:
On Thursday morning, a day after hastily suggesting the person who gunned down Charlie Kirk was in custody, Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, convened an online meeting with 200 agents around the country to discuss the manhunt. It was a tense affair.
[…]
The director wasted no time before calling out subordinates that he said failed to give him timely information and was incensed that agents in Salt Lake City waited nearly 12 hours to show him a photo of the suspected killer, according to three people familiar on the exchange.
Mr. Patel said he would not tolerate any more “Mickey Mouse operations,” an official on the call recounted. It was one of his few utterances without profanity, the person added.
On Saturday, Patel wrote on X, stating, “Against all recommendations, we demanded the video footage and enhanced stills of the suspect be released to the public. Robinson’s father, who ultimately turned him in to authorities, told law enforcement that he recognized his son in that released video.”
Against all recommendations, we demanded the video footage and enhanced stills of the suspect be released to the public.
Robinson’s father, who ultimately turned him in to authorities, told law enforcement that he recognized his son in that released video. pic.twitter.com/OwjVlYDh7S
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 13, 2025
