“People think we can just get into these group chats and immediately find out who was in them. We, the FBI, are the investigatory body supporting multiple prosecutions and ongoing investigations,” Patel said.
He stressed that the bureau is moving carefully to avoid tainting evidence.
“Our investigation at the FBI is ongoing, and there are scores of people in this Discord chatroom. But we have to effectuate the legal process. We have to go out there with search warrants,” Patel continued. “So that if prosecutors later want to use this evidence, it’s not tainted by being illegally obtained.”
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“Scores of Individuals” To Be Interviewed
Patel also promised that the FBI is preparing to speak with dozens of people connected to the case.
“Scores of individuals” and their families will be interviewed in the coming days, he said.
Already, authorities have matched Robinson’s DNA to key evidence found at the scene. His genetic profile was discovered on a screwdriver left on the rooftop where the fatal shot was fired and on a towel wrapped around the hunting rifle abandoned nearby.
The Radicalization of Tyler Robinson
No formal motive has been announced. Still, Robinson’s relatives say his politics shifted sharply in recent years, blaming online influences for steering him toward far-left ideology.
Utah’s Republican governor, Spencer Cox, addressed those concerns on Sunday.
Cox said Robinson had fallen victim to a “leftist” ideology after being “radicalized” on the internet.
Reports also paint a portrait of a young man who had once been considered promising. Robinson earned a prestigious presidential scholarship to Utah State University but left after just one semester. At the time of the shooting, he was in his third year of an electrical apprenticeship program.
A Nation Mourns Charlie Kirk
The victim, Charlie Kirk, was just 31 years old. As founder of Turning Point USA, he became one of the most influential conservative voices of his generation and a close ally of President Donald Trump.
Vice President J.D. Vance flew back with Kirk’s body aboard Air Force Two. On Sunday evening, he announced he would honor Kirk’s legacy by hosting his program.
“Tomorrow, I will have the honor of hosting the Charlie Kirk Show,” Vance wrote.
“Please join me as I pay tribute to my friend.”
What Comes Next
The FBI’s widening probe makes clear that this case extends far beyond one gunman. Federal investigators are preparing to unravel whether Robinson acted alone or with silent encouragement from a circle of like-minded radicals.
For now, the country is left grieving a conservative leader while watching closely to see if others in Robinson’s orbit will face charges for failing to stop him.
