Charlie Kirk was gunned down during a campus event at Utah Valley University on Tuesday (September 10), prompting a sweeping federal manhunt and a wave of political reaction. Now, the FBI has released surveillance images of a person of interest and confirmed the recovery of a high-powered rifle believed to be the murder weapon.
The FBI’s Salt Lake City office posted two photos of the unidentified man on social media, showing him in a baseball cap and sunglasses, captured in a stairwell.
“We are asking for the public’s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University,” the agency said.
Authorities said the suspect, believed to be college-aged, climbed to the roof of a campus building and opened fire on Kirk, striking him once around 12:20 p.m. local time. He was rushed to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Investigators say the shooter arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m. and accessed the rooftop via stairwells before firing into the crowd gathered for the outdoor event. After the shot, the suspect fled by jumping off the opposite side of the building and escaping into a nearby neighborhood, according to Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason.
Law enforcement recovered a Mauser .30-06 bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the scene. The firearm, described as an older imported model, still had a spent cartridge chambered and three unused rounds etched with language referencing “transgender and anti-fascist ideology,” according to preliminary reports shared with law enforcement. The FBI is conducting DNA and fingerprint analysis on the weapon and ammunition.
“We will not stand for what happened yesterday,” Mason said Thursday (September 11). “We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual.”
Officials also collected a footwear impression, palm print and forearm imprints from the area. Authorities said the attack appeared to be targeted, though the motive remains under investigation.
More than 3,000 people were at the event, which featured a “prove me wrong” table, according to the tour’s website. Despite online petitions opposing Kirk’s appearance, police said there were no credible threats before the shooting. Six officers and Kirk’s private security were present.
The university will remain closed through Saturday (September 13), according to a notice on its website. Two individuals were initially detained after the shooting but were later released. One was charged with obstruction by university police. Authorities said neither has any connection to the shooting.
The killing of Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two and founder of Turning Point USA, drew swift and emotional reactions from political leaders.
Donald Trump posted a tribute online, calling Kirk “The Great, and even Legendary” and saying, “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.” Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff through Sunday and announced Kirk would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously, calling him a “giant of his generation.”
In a video, Trump blamed political rhetoric for fueling violence. “It’s a long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree,” he said. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”
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