The FBI’s probe into the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is widening, with Director Kash Patel acknowledging that agents are now investigating a web of digital chatter, conspiracy-tinged theories, and investigative missteps that have fueled public distrust.

Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while addressing students at Utah Valley University. His accused killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested more than a day later after his own father alerted authorities — but the 33-hour manhunt and subsequent revelations have left investigators chasing leads as much as they are managing optics.

Speaking on Sunday, Patel signaled a willingness to validate public concerns, even when they originate from online sleuths. “We are meticulously investigating theories and questions,” he said, listing off everything from the vantage point of the shooter to unexplained hand gestures made by people near Kirk just before the bullet struck his neck.

The director acknowledged early false starts, including the bureau’s decision to detain two unrelated suspects and Patel’s own premature announcement that a suspect had been apprehended. Those errors have only intensified pressure on the bureau to show it has not closed off uncomfortable lines of inquiry.

At the center of the probe are Robinson’s digital communications. Investigators are dissecting text exchanges in which he allegedly confessed to a partner, as well as posts in a 20-member Discord group where Robinson reportedly bragged about the shooting. The FBI is also combing through activity on Steam and other platforms tied to online subcultures, including pro-trans groups and “furries” communities.

The level of detail in Robinson’s texts — complete sentences and punctuation unusual for his age group — has drawn skepticism online, with critics suggesting the confession may have been staged or manipulated. Patel has not addressed those claims directly, but confirmed the bureau is treating them as part of the evidentiary trail.

Some theories Patel dismissed outright, including rumors that a private plane spirited the assassin away after its transponder was turned off near the crime scene. But others — such as speculation about Kirk wearing body armor or the possibility of accomplices signaling in the crowd — remain under review. Patel emphasized that trajectory analysis of the bullet and the weapon’s transport are active parts of the inquiry.

Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, the only crime in Utah eligible for the death penalty, though Kirk’s widow Erika has publicly urged prosecutors not to pursue execution. The political right has elevated Kirk as a martyr — President Donald Trump has pledged to award him the Medal of Freedom — while the bureau faces an uncomfortable balancing act between transparency and protecting the integrity of its case.

“The entire FBI mourns the loss of Charlie Kirk,” Patel wrote in a weekend post on X. “We will not rest until justice is served, and our investigation into this assassination will continue until every question is answered.”

The questions, however, keep multiplying — not just about who pulled the trigger, but about how America’s premier law enforcement agency fumbled its pursuit of the truth in real time.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)