Patel Seeks “Reminder” on Charleston Church Shooter at House Hearing

FBI Director Kash Patel asked for clarification when Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove referenced Dylann Roof, who killed nine Black parishioners in 2015.

Lead FBI Director Kash Patel, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on September 17, requested a “reminder” when Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove mentioned Dylann Roof’s 2015 church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina.

Nut Graf The exchange highlighted concerns over Patel’s familiarity with recent domestic terrorism incidents, undermining confidence in his oversight of violent extremist threats and drawing bipartisan criticism of his preparedness.

Main Part

Subheading: Embarrassing Exchange on Capitol Hill Representative Kamlager-Dove questioned Patel on known extremist attacks, beginning with, “Dylann Roof, who adhered to white supremacist beliefs, murdered nine Black churchgoers in Charleston in 2015. Do you deny this?” Patel responded, “I’m sorry. Dylann Roof?” before asking for more details.

Subheading: Broader Extremism Context

  • The lawmaker framed questions as straightforward confirmations of widely publicized hate crimes.
  • Patel correctly recalled the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting by Robert Bowers but appeared unfamiliar with Roof’s attack and the 2019 El Paso Walmart massacre, later accepting the details as presented.

Subheading: Repercussions and Reactions

  • Democrats and Republicans alike criticized the FBI director’s apparent lack of knowledge on historically significant attacks.
  • Critics argue the incident casts doubt on the FBI’s capacity to monitor and counter domestic violent extremism.

Subheading: Next Steps for Oversight Patel’s performance may prompt additional congressional inquiries into his leadership and the agency’s approach to gathering intelligence on hate-driven violence.

The hearing continues scrutiny of Patel’s tenure as FBI Director, with lawmakers pressing him on resources, policy priorities, and enforcement actions against domestic extremist networks.