Early mistakes in the investigation of the fatal shooting at Brown University has left the FBI reliant on another bailout like the tip that led to an arrest in the Charlie Kirk assassination, according to a law enforcement analyst.
Police have released new photo and video evidence of an individual believed to be the suspect but have asked for public assistance in identifying the alleged killer, and former Homeland Security official Juliette Kayyem told "CNN News Central" anchor John Berman that FBI Director Kash Patel had bungled the case within hours of the shooting.
It started with the announcement that a person of interest was talking to authorities. That person was later released Sunday.
"The personof interest, I think the FBI wassort of saying, 'we've got ourguy,' and disclosures by Director [Kash] Patel delayed this 18 hours," Kayyem said. "Iwill tell you, I saw pictures ofthem looking through thesnow and everything. It snowed, you and I were standing here inthe snow on Sunday. Mostevidence is now gone, right, soif he drops something, if therewere fingerprints or whatever,most of it will be gone.
"Sothere, I mean, and they admitit, they're delayed about 18 to24 hours. Also, students aregone. You know, memories lapse,people are all aroundthe country, around the worldnow who may have been in thatbuilding. So it's just going tobe harder for them."
"Look, they are committed todoing a restart," but this is unfortunate," Kayyem added. "Andthe public does not want to seelaw enforcement agencies sort ofthrowing each other under thebus."
The FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, but Kayyem said that shows they've failed to produce enough evidence to solve the case themselves.
"It's money, but it's notlike a huge reward," she said. "This moneyand those videos are – someone isrecognizing him. He hasfriends, he has colleagues, hehas a girlfriend, boyfriend,whatever. Someone will recognizethis, and the $50,000 isessentially, we're going to makethis, you know, we need youto come forward. A stranger is not going to recognize himfrom that [video]. So unlike, say,the UnitedHealthCare manhunt,this is really not a manhunt inthat sense. This is a 'weneed someone near him tocome forward.'"
That's what happened in Kirk's assassination in September, when Patel prematurely announced the arrest of a person of interest who was released hours later – just like what he did Sunday in the Brown case – and the FBI ultimately made an arrest after the Kirk suspect's family member turned him in.
"That's what happened in Utahwith the Charlie Kirk shooting,because people who knew thatperson, even though they wereunrecognizable to most people inthe video," Berman said.