FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Monday that federal investigators are examining whether the suspect accused of assassinating conservative commentator Charlie Kirk acted alone or had help in planning the fatal shooting.
We will not rest. pic.twitter.com/VQQbY4T4LA [1]
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) September 10, 2025 [2]
Bongino also indicated [3] that early findings suggest the gunman was heavily influenced by ideology leading up to the attack.
Speaking on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” Bongino explained that while one suspect is in custody, the investigation is not limited to a single individual.
“If this was a larger effort, if there was any aiding and abetting, whether it be financial or someone who knew the specifics of it and failed to report that, we’re looking into that,” he told host Bill Hemmer.
“There’s not going to be a stone left unturned.”
The FBI is reviewing surveillance video that captured the gunman leaping from a rooftop after firing the fatal shot.
Bongino said the footage provided crucial evidence that allowed investigators to make a swift arrest.
“When you’re watching the video, it appears that the gun is either in the backpack or on him,” Bongino said.
“This is where we got a significant portion of the forensic evidence, which was the key piece of information that cracked this thing open.”
Investigators have also uncovered indications that the suspect voiced violent intentions before the attack.
Bongino explained that these warnings are consistent with patterns seen in other targeted killings and mass shootings.
“You see this a lot in targeted violence cases, assassinations, school shootings, where the individual expresses in advance his desire to do these specific things. That appears to be the case here as well,” he said.
According to information gathered from family members and coworkers, the suspect’s behavior shifted in the weeks leading up to the Sept. 10 shooting.
He became increasingly political, more withdrawn, and appeared to be consumed by ideology.
“It appears from the data we’ve accumulated that this ideology had infected him and had taken over,” Bongino said.
“He was intent on making Charlie his target and people may have known in advance.”
Bongino emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing, but said the suspect’s motive is not in doubt.
“It’s fairly obvious this was an ideologically motivated attack,” he said.
“Charlie Kirk is a conservative commentator who sadly and tragically gave his life underneath a sign asking people to challenge his ideas, the very essence of our constitutional republic.”
Kirk, 31, was assassinated during a campus event in Utah, where he was scheduled to speak as part of his American Comeback Tour.
His killing drew national attention and widespread condemnation, with political leaders and allies demanding accountability and swift justice.
Bongino described Kirk as a close personal friend and said the FBI’s rapid work in apprehending the suspect should reassure the public.
“We got our guy in 33 hours,” Bongino said.
“Next time, when there’s a crisis, we’ll look at what we can do well and what we can do better. We can do better than that.”
The FBI has not released further details on whether additional individuals could face charges, but officials say the investigation is continuing with a focus on both the gunman’s ideological motivations and any potential outside support.