Members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released a scathing report Tuesday on the FBI’s handling of the 2017 congressional baseball shooting.

The lawmakers criticized the initial decision to classify the attack by shooter James Hodgkinson as “suicide by cop” rather than domestic terrorism, a designation not changed until 2021 amid congressional pressure and during another probe into the events of January 6.

According to the committee's findings, the FBI engaged in serious misrepresentation of the event. “The FBI used false statements, manipulation of known facts, and biased and butchered analysis to support a narrative that Hodgkinson committed suicide by cop without any nexus to domestic terrorism,” the report stated.

Investigators failed to conduct thorough interviews with all victims and witnesses present during the shooting. The committee determined the investigative process contained fundamental flaws and urged FBI Director Kash Patel to ensure the agency maintains integrity moving forward.

While the report stops short of recommending specific disciplinary actions, the document suggests potential legislation that would establish criminal liability for those who politicize intelligence analysis.

Democrats on the panel agreed with certain findings about investigative failures, yet rejected the notion that political motives influenced the FBI’s initial conclusions, a split that emerged during closed-door deliberations earlier this month.

The committee’s final assessment emphasized the need for the FBI to maintain core values, asserting that unbiased investigative practices remain essential for agency credibility.