FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed new findings Thursday morning in the investigation of Wednesday’s deadly shooting at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, emphasizing evidence that the suspect studied high-profile acts of violence in the days leading up to the attack.
Patel said FBI offices in Dallas and Washington have been working around the clock to examine digital devices, writings, and other materials recovered from the gunman’s residence and personal belongings.
Among the evidence, investigators found the suspect conducted multiple internet searches on Tuesday and Wednesday for ballistics and the “Charlie Kirk shot video.” Patel noted the significance of those searches, which came just before the attack, in helping investigators assess motive and planning.
Agents also determined that the suspect downloaded a document, “Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management,” which included a list of Department of Homeland Security facilities. Between Aug. 19 and 24, he searched apps that tracked ICE agent activity. A handwritten note recovered by investigators read: “Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, ‘is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?'”
“The accumulated evidence points to a high degree of pre-attack planning,” Patel said. “We will continue to share timely updates without compromising the investigation.”
The shooting left one detainee dead and two others critically injured after the gunman opened fire from a rooftop into a secure entry area and detainee transport van. The suspect then died by suicide. No ICE employees were harmed.
As the Dallas investigation develops, Patel’s office continued to balance public transparency with investigative discretion. The evidence that the shooter looked at information about the Kirk incident shortly before the attack underscores investigators’ concern that he sought to emulate or draw lessons from politically charged acts of violence.
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