Interagency tensions over Tyler Robinson case overblown, source says

First on Fox: A highly placed source downplayed recent reports about internal tensions between the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) over files linked to the assassination of the Turning Point USA founder. Charlie Kirk.

The NCTC is part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), charged with coordinating counterterrorism intelligence throughout the federal government.

Its director, Joe Kent, had recently been looking into the assassination case, much to the dismay of FBI leaders, including Director Kash Patel, who believed he had exceeded his duties and possibly interfered in the case against the suspected killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, according to the British Daily Mail. New York Times.

But the source told Fox News Digital that the tensions in the report were “exaggerated” and that there was no serious disagreement between the agencies or their leaders.

Charlie Kirk’s murderer’s motives remain “elusive,” claims CBS News anchor

Tyler Robinson, left, is the suspect in the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Kirk was photographed during an event at Utah Valley University, where he was shot and killed on September 10, 2025. Robinson appeared on video at his first hearing on September 16, and has not been seen since. (Bulletin/Utah State Courts, Trent Nelson/Salt Lake Tribune via Reuters)

FBI The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a joint statement that they are working not only together, but also with federal lawmakers on a united front.

“The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI are united in working with Congress to strengthen our nation’s counterintelligence efforts to best protect the safety, security, and freedom of the American people,” they said.

Since Kent was looking for ties to terrorist groups, including Antifa, Patel claims He objected to his excavations, according to the report, which led to a meeting at the White House that included the two vice presidents J.D. Vance And other senior officials.

Tyler Robinson is disoriented and lacking an escape plan after the alleged assassination of Kirk: the former head of the FBI

A source told Fox New Digital that reported tensions between Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center (left), and FBI Director Kash Patel, right, are “exaggerated.” (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Robinson faces a slew of charges in Utah at the state level. The most dangerous is Aggravated murderWhich carries a possible death penalty. Although he has not yet been charged with a federal crime, Justice Department involvement remains a possibility.

Both the Department of Justice and the FBI are known to not say much about a case publicly until it is fully resolved for fear of potentially distorting the prosecution. However, according to the Times report, there were internal concerns that searching for potential additional suspects or terrorist ties could help the defense.

One potential concern is that if NCTC officials spoke about the case publicly, they would be less protected than the FBI or Justice Department.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk leaves unanswered questions as investigators piece together the holes in the case

Charlie Kirk speaks at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025 in Orem, Utah, before his assassination. (Trent Nelson/Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

“I don’t think this is going to help the defense in any way,” Donna Rotunno said. Defense attorney based in Chicago And a Fox News contributor. “If agencies don’t do that, the defense will attack them for not conducting a thorough investigation.”

Even if investigators find additional suspects, it won’t change the case against Robinson, she said.

“Does this really detract from the fact that this person is the alleged shooter? I don’t think so,” she said.

Robinson was The defense may be more focused on avoiding the death penalty To prove his innocence.

“The defense has already started out with mitigation rather than guilt, so assuming they find out he was used by an outside group that identified him… so what?” she told Fox News Digital. “That doesn’t help his defense.”

FBI investigating left-wing groups for possible ties to Charlie Kirk assassination: Source

Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski is subpoenaed by federal marshals, Helena, Montana, on April 4, 1996. He was the domestic terrorist known as the Unabomber. (Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

She pointed to President John Kennedy Killer Lee Harvey Oswald and Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.

“Oswald, [was] “JFK shooter, but was he prepared for it?” she said. “And yes, an isolated individual can be destructive with a misplaced agenda, for example, the Unabomber.”

A spokesman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A sniper’s bullet fatally struck Kirk around 12:20 p.m. on September 10, while he was speaking to a crowd at Utah Valley University during a Turning Point event. Deputies arrested Robinson 33 hours later, more than 200 miles away, after his family and a minister convinced him to surrender, authorities said.

A UVU professor and former FBI agent warns of a new pattern of political violence after the assassination of Charlie Kirk

Meanwhile, a task force made up of investigators from multiple agencies was working to identify and track the suspect, rule out other persons of interest and collect evidence ranging from campus surveillance video to phone data and the suspected murder weapon, which police found in a patch of woods next to the school.

A rough estimate of the suspected movements of Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, based on court documents, video from the scene and conversations with law enforcement. (Google Maps, Fox News Digital)

Police had a potential suspect early in custody, a 71-year-old local resident George Zinn who allegedly falsely claimed to be the shooter. He faces criminal charges of obstruction and sexual exploitation of a minor after police found images of child abuse on his phone during interrogation.

They also investigated at least two other early persons of interest, law enforcement sources previously told Fox News Digital. Neither has been accused of wrongdoing or charged with a crime.

Nor have charges been filed against the people to whom Robinson allegedly confessed after the fact — including his roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, or a group of people. Discord friends.

Click here to download the FOX NEWS app

Authorities said they believed Robinson acted alone, but noted he had increasingly embraced left-wing beliefs in the year before the attack.

“At the end of the day, everyone wants justice here,” the source told Fox News Digital.