Once again. FBI Director Kash Patel embarrassed himself and the agency by leading the press conference in the aftermath of two National Guard soldiers being shot in Washington, DC, and vowing to bring the suspect to justice, and then not knowing a suspect was already in custody.
Patel was heavily criticized for his initial handling of the Charlie Kirk shooting, when he gave misleading information to the press, saying the shooter was in custody when he wasn't
Now, he is two for two.
PATEL: As you can see behind me, we have assembled the full force of both the federal and state and local law enforcement agencies to prepare all of our resources to make sure we find the perpetrators responsible for this heinous act.
We have assembled the full force of both the federal and state and local law enforcement agencies to prepare all of our resources to make sure we find the perpetrators responsible for this heinous act.
And make no mistake, they will be brought to justice.
Although heavy-handed, Patel sounded somewhat reasonable. Enter Jeff Carroll:
CARROLL: My name is Jeff Carroll.
I'm the executive assistant chief here at the Metropolitan Police Department.
At approximately 2.15 this afternoon, members of the D.C. National Guard were on high visibility patrols in the area of 17th and I Street Northwest when a suspect came around the corner, raised his arm with a firearm and discharged it at the National Guard members.
The National Guard members, there were other members that were in the area, they were able to, after some back and forth, able to subdue the individual and bring him into custody.
Within moments, members of law enforcement in the area were also able to assist and bring that individual into custody.
Oops...
Making it worse for Patel, after the Mayor spoke coherently about the suspect in custody, Carroll came back to answer a few more questions when Patel rushed in to take the microphone and patted himself on the back, trying to correct his mistake at about the 6:55 mark of the video.
PATEL: And I would just like to add-- hang on -- the reason that this suspect is in custody is because of the bravery of the men and women of the National Guard who responded due to their extensive training to secure American lives today.
There was not any further injury and any further shootings.
We should highlight the fact that the men and women of law enforcement, the interagency, the Department of War, and the National Guard executed their training with great precision today and prevented an even greater tragedy from befalling us.
What a fool.
Patel continued blubbering about how he will "run down every single lead, every piece of evidence. This is the power of the U.S. government at its best at the state, local, and federal level."
That's his job.
The reports that Patel's job was in jeopardy should not be dismissed.
Trump mostly cares about optics and his own importance, not about competence. Patel's latest gaffes are not helping his cause.
