FBI Director Kash Patel was a mute bystander at a highly-anticipated press conference on Thursday to provide an update on the bureau’s hunt for the killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Two days after Kirk was brutally murdered in broad daylight at Utah Valley University, officials have yet to catch or identify the culprit.
Utah Department of Public Safety commissioner Beau Mason admitted to MSNBC on Thursday they had “no idea” if the person they are looking for is even still in Utah.
Talking ahead of Thursday’s media conference, Mason told MSNBC authorities were “exploring leads for individuals out of state and individuals that live close by.”
Patel’s silent appearance on Thursday night follows increasing criticism of the 45-year-old’s role surrounding the investigation into catching the elusive killer.
While Patel was introduced at the press conference in Utah, he did not address reporters, and the media were told there would be no questions allowed. The FBI director is still reeling from misguided X posts on Wednesday claiming they had apprehended “the subject of the shooting,” then admitting they had released the suspect.
It also comes as the highly decorated female counterterrorism agent who had run the Salt Lake City field office since February was recently forced to resign last month, MSNBC reported.
Only Mason and Governor of Utah Spencer Cox spoke at the brief nine-minute media update, with Patel relegated to standing awkwardly to the side with Lieutenant Governor of Utah Deidre Henderson.
During the conference, Cox and Mason, rather than Patel, handled the critical task of sharing the new details of the case, including noting that they would seek the death penalty for the unknown person of interest.
They used the media briefing to play newly-released surveillance footage showing the person of interest in the Kirk killing jumping down from a roof at the university, then making his way through the car park before crossing a road.
Authorities also revealed they had already received over 7000 tips on the crime from the public, and were processing hand and footprints retrieved from the university.
Cox did thank Patel for being on the ground in Utah, however, noting, “we’ve had several briefings and he’s had an opportunity to walk the crime scene.” He also thanked local law enforcement officers.
Deputy Director of the FBI Dan Bongino was also introduced at the Utah press conference; however, he was not visible on camera. On Thursday, Bongino and Patel were photographed visiting the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum to mark the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attack.
The Daily Beast has contacted the FBI for comment.
Despite earlier criticism that Patel should be on the scene in Utah, former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe told CNN Thursday night that he was “at a loss to understand” as to why Patel gave in to such demands.
Asked about Patel’s silence at the press conference, former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe told CNN Thursday night that it didn’t look good.
“If you’re there, you know, you probably want to at least make very perfunctory comments about appreciating the hard work of the men and women that are doing the investigation,” McCabe told NewsNight.
“You would not go out to the scene of an ongoing crisis, post-crisis investigation,” McCabe said on Thursday.
“There’s all kinds of arrangements that have to be made,” McCabe said. “There’s all kinds of security concerns that arise. Transportation becomes very complicated. And that’s the last thing you wanna do to the field office while they’re in the middle of investigating a critical incident.”
Also speaking on NewsNight, Former Secret Service Agent Jonathan Wackrow agreed the behavior was “odd”.
“You announced that both the deputy director and the director were there,” Wackrow said. “They came out. They walked the site. They assessed it. Now you’re sitting at a press conference in front of the nation, and there’s silence.”
Patel’s silence also did not go unnoticed on social media.
“That was not a press conference. That was a press statement,” Newsmax host Todd Starnes said on X. “Why didn’t FBI Director Kash Patel say anything? Very odd.”
Patel has been relatively quiet on social media since the FBI director incorrectly posted that a suspect was in custody hours after the shooting. Later, he was forced to retract the statement, posting, “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.”
Despite Patel’s silence on the bureau’s activities on Thursday, Trump insisted the FBI was “making big progress” tracking down the killer, who he said was “an animal, a total animal.” He told reporters on Thursday he had an “indication” of the motivation behind the murder, but teased, “I will tell you about that later.”
The president added, “What he did is disgraceful. Charlie Kirk was a great person, a great man, great in every way, especially with youth. And what this man did was disgraceful. So hopefully we’ll have him – and we will deal with him very appropriately.”
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