President Donald Trump praised FBI Director Kash Patel on Saturday for the bureau’s rapid identification and arrest of the suspect accused in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, saying the agency “did a great job.”
The suspect, identified by authorities as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested in his hometown of Washington, Utah, about 33 hours after Kirk was shot on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, according to reporting by Fox News Digital and statements from law enforcement.
Federal officials and law enforcement sources described a compressed investigative timeline in which Patel took a highly visible, hands-on role at the crime scene, directing agents and accelerating evidence processing. Officials told Fox News Digital Patel arrived on site about 5:30 p.m. local time on Sept. 11, was shown the crime scene, retraced the route investigators say the shooter took, and personally oversaw the collection and shipment of evidence to FBI labs.
According to the FBI timeline shared with investigators, Robinson was first observed on the Utah Valley University campus on Sept. 10, conducting what officials described as reconnaissance between 8:28 a.m. and 9:34 a.m. He reportedly returned at 11:52 a.m., climbed an exterior stairwell to the roof of the Losee building and took a position on the highest level at about 12:22 p.m. Authorities said Kirk was shot roughly one minute later.
Robinson allegedly descended from the roof and fled into a nearby wooded area two minutes after the shooting, where investigators later found a Mauser 30.06 rifle, the FBI said. Local agents were on the scene immediately after the shooting; sources told Fox News Digital that Patel then moved to accelerate forensic analysis by directing evidence to be flown to FBI facilities, including Quantico, rather than following standard protocols in which individual agents ship material to laboratories.
A law enforcement source told Fox News Digital that Patel ordered that the evidence and fingerprints be transported by plane back to FBI labs and that DNA analysis continued overnight because of the director’s presence. "The DNA was being analyzed through the night because the director was there and he was directing all of this," the source was quoted as saying. "He directed everyone and said 'You're going to get the evidence out now.' The evidence was getting back to the labs in rapid-speed. That's why he was caught so quickly."
Officials also told Fox News Digital that Patel, over the advice of some colleagues, pushed for the public release of surveillance footage of the suspect. A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation said Robinson’s father recognized his son in the released video and ultimately contacted authorities, which led to the arrest in Washington, Utah.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox joined Patel at a press conference addressing the assassination; photos released by authorities show Patel and state officials at the podium as investigators continued to work the case. Booking photos of Robinson were released by state authorities following his arrest.
Fox News Digital reported Patel’s prominent role and the expedited handling of evidence based on interviews with law enforcement sources and officials familiar with the investigation. The bureau has not publicized every detail of its internal investigative decisions; the FBI’s public statements have focused on the arrest, the recovery of the suspected firearm and the ongoing investigation.
Robinson’s arrest came amid a nationwide law enforcement response to the shooting that left Kirk dead on a university campus. Authorities have not provided public details on formal charges or upcoming court proceedings as of the latest reporting. Investigators continue to process evidence and conduct forensic testing, and federal and local officials have said the investigation remains active.
Trump, speaking in an interview with Fox News Digital, said he was "very proud of the FBI," singling out Patel for praise and reiterating the administration’s focus on supporting law enforcement efforts in the case. The rapid arrest and the role of the FBI director are likely to draw further attention as prosecutors and investigators prepare next steps in the case.