FBI Director Kash Patel to Highlight 'Largest' Year-to-Year Violent Crime Drop in US History

1:05 PM ETDeveloping

Politics Desk

In Short: FBI Director Kash Patel is set to tell lawmakers that the FBI and its partners have achieved the most significant reduction in violent crime in American history.

FBI Director Kash Patel is set to tell lawmakers that the FBI and its law enforcement partners have achieved the most significant reduction in violent crime in American history, according to his prepared opening remarks for the Senate Judiciary Committee's annual FBI oversight hearing.

Patel attributes these gains to the Trump administration, stating that the agency could not have achieved such reductions without its support. According to the FBI's figures, the national murder rate fell 20% over the previous 18 months, while violent crime arrests increased 90% and violent criminal and gang member arrests rose 30%.

In his prepared statement, Patel also highlights the FBI's role in thwarting a terrorist attack near Pittsburgh and disrupting plans for about 1,039 individuals to execute terrorist attacks. Additionally, the FBI captured 10 fugitives from its "Ten Most Wanted" list, more than 2.5 times the number apprehended during the previous four years combined.

The FBI also seized more than 3,258 kilograms of fentanyl, identified about 11,000 child victims, and arrested more than 5,000 child predators and human traffickers. Patel credits the historic transformation in American public safety and agency accountability to aggressive law enforcement, technological modernization, including artificial intelligence, and operational efficiency.

Furthermore, the FBI eliminated a multi-year backlog of over 1.8 million lab samples and saved more than $300 million through spending and facilities reviews. Patel is expected to announce at Tuesday's hearing the capture of Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre in Venezuela, making him the 10th FBI "Ten Most Wanted" fugitive nabbed during Patel's tenure.

What's still developing

"As we recently announced, the FBI’s Lab Division had a backlog of over 1.8 million samples that had existed for years prior to my confirmation… As of last month, that backlog is now ZERO," Patel's statement reads.
In his opening statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Patel will highlight the achievements before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will focus on recent changes within the FBI.
The results include a major drop in murder rates, crackdowns on drug and human trafficking, successful efforts to thwart terrorist attacks and the apprehension of top fugitives.
The suspect allegedly purchased a firearm and indicated online that he intended to carry out a violent attack on behalf of ISIS.
David Brody The Sharyl Attkisson Podcast The Water Cooler with David Brody Just the News a.m.

Sources

Fox Newslink