FBI Director Kash Patel has taken to his X account with a long-winded promise to be “thorough and exhaustive” in his investigation of the late Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
The statement comes as the right-wing influencer’s funeral proceedings–believed to have attracted 200,000 mourners at Arizona’s Glendale State Farm–kick off, with Republican high-profiles like JD Vance and Donald Trump expected to speak.
Patel’s post on X comes a week after he erred publicly with the premature announcement that authorities had captured Kirk’s assassin.
It was later revealed that the Utah law enforcement hurriedly released the person they had in custody when he made the claim, and the manhunt continued for another 33 hours.
FBI Director Kash Patel says his organization is reviewing the location from which the shot came
In an X announcement posted during the Arizona memorial service, Patel claimed that he was “committed to ensuring” a thorough investigation into the conservative blowhard’s demise.
He made reference to “evidence emerged” claiming that U.S.’s entire law-enforcement bloc was behind the investigation and that it is probing beyond the initial findings.
The post suggests that the organization has since doubled down on the location the shot was fired from, “the possibility of accomplices, the text message confession, related conversations,” and “Discord chats.”
It is not the first time Discord has come up in the investigation.
The Donald Trump nominee claimed the FBI was investigating hand signals caught on tape at the time
In a press conference following Tyler Robinson’s arrest, Utah Governor Spencer Cox told the media that the 22-year-old assassin’s housemate surrendered digital communications pertaining to the weapon used in the assassination and where it would be stashed afterward.
The Discord exchange also touched on Robinson’s alleged need to change clothes.
Patel’s assessment further referenced “the angle of the shot and bullet impact, how the weapon was transported, hand gestures observed as potential “signals” near Charlie at the time of his assassination.”
Videos making their rounds on X show men close to Kirk moving their hands
One such (perceived) hand signal was by an individual dressed in a white T-shirt and baseball cap.
Holding a phone covering Kirk in one hand, he touches the rim of his hat with the other.
David Castaneda Jr on X wrote:
“FBI Director Kash, these 2 men standing behind Charlie Kirk look like they were giving hand signals right before the shot went off, you might want to look into it!”
Another pointed out a man in a black shirt standing on the far side of Kirk.
“Guy in the black shirt also makes hand signals right before Charlie was shot,” wrote a netizen with the handle MJTruthUltra.
An airplane thought to have turned off its transponder at the time of the assassination was probed
“Some details are known today, while others are still being pursued to ensure every possibility is considered,” Patel’s update continued.
He also referenced an aircraft departing a location around the time of Kirk’s assassination, which was initially thought to have turned its transponder off.
“After interviews with the pilot and consultation with the FAA, we determined the transponder was not turned off. Incomplete flight data in rural areas caused the apparent gap,” the update reads.
The internet is not happy with Kash Patel
As the Director of the FBI, I am committed to ensuring the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination is thorough and exhaustive, pursuing every lead to its conclusion.
The full weight of America’s law enforcement agencies are actively following the evidence that has…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 21, 2025
The post gave rise to broad speculation and a growing hawkishness toward the Trump-nominated chief.
“I’m afraid you’re proving yourself to be a liar and a fraud. Too bad, we need a hero in your position. Act today or resign today,” wrote one person.
“If that is true, please explain to me how he was shot in the neck with a 30-06 rifle and there is no exit wound?” supposedly onto a whole new theory.
“Your lack of transparency and integrity on the Epstein files means we have ZERO trust for you on the Charlie Kirk investigation,” echoed one netizen.
The FBI director falsely announced that the assassin was in custody
The public’s attitude of dissent for Patel did not flourish overnight. On September 11 he wrote on X: “The subject for the horrific sh***ing today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody.”
At almost exactly the same time closer to ground zero, Spencer Cox explained that the shooter had not been caught.
“I want to make it crystal clear right now, to whomever did this, we will find you,” he said.
Less than two hours later Patel walked back his statement saying:
“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.”
Patel received backlash from both sides of the political aisle for his faux pas
Bored Panda reported previously that the faux pas drew backlash from both sides of the aisle, with rightwing activist Chris Rufo saying:
“He performed terribly in the last few days. We would be wise to take a moment and ask whether Kash Patel has what it takes to get this done.”
From the Democrat camp, Senator Dick Durbin observed that Patel parts with the age-old tradition of keeping “its mouth closed until it believes it’s the right time and the right message.”
Some think that the ongoing saga will be “made into a film”
