Authorities in Utah and federal agents are still hunting for the gunman who fatally shot US President Donald Trump ally and right-wing activist Charlie Kirk during a packed campus event, an attack the state’s governor condemned as a “political assassination."
Suspect appeared to be around age of college students; FBI says 'footwear impressions and palm print recovered'
Utah authorities say the gunman who shot Charlie Kirk on Wednesday blended easily into the university environment and appeared to be of college age, according to state Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason, CNN reported.
FBI officials believe the suspect is male. Along with the rifle allegedly used in the attack, investigators have collected a shoeprint, palm print and forearm impressions for analysis, said Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office.
Bohls added that more than 130 tips had been received as of Thursday morning and “are being fully investigated.”
Shooter not hiding in woods where rifle was recovered: FBI
The individual who shot Charlie Kirk is not hiding in the wooded area where investigators recovered the rifle allegedly used in the attack, Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, said.
“We walked through those woods and secured it,” Bohls said at a news briefing. “This was a targeted event. We don’t believe the community is at risk. Nonetheless, we are deploying every available resource to locate the suspect, and we will find him.”
Authorities have ‘good video’ of suspected Charlie Kirk shooter, Utah official says
Investigators have obtained clear video footage of the individual believed to have shot Charlie Kirk, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason told reporters.
“We do have good video of this individual, but we are not releasing it at this time,” Mason said, as per CNN.
“We’re using technology and investigative methods to identify the person. If those efforts are unsuccessful, we will share the footage publicly to seek assistance.” He emphasized that authorities aim to handle the case in a way that ensures public safety and a proper investigative process.
Shooter suspected on rooftop
The Utah department of public safety said the shooting remains “an active investigation,” confirming that two suspects taken into custody had since been released. Commissioner Beau Mason said investigators were combing through security camera footage that appeared to show a figure in dark clothing firing “a longer distance shot” from the roof of a building at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem.
Kirk, 31, was gunned down on Wednesday afternoon while addressing a crowd of about 3,000 students and supporters at UVU. Video footage captured the moment: Kirk, seated beneath a tent and responding to a question on gun violence, suddenly slumped backwards as a single shot cracked across the quad.
Chaos in the crowd
Panic rippled instantly through the audience, with students diving for cover, parents clutching children, and hundreds sprinting from the sound of gunfire.
Kirk was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Outside the hospital that evening, mourners gathered in grief and defiance — draping American flags over the hospital sign and lighting dozens of candles. Homemade placards read: “Peacemakers wanted” and “We love you Charlie Kirk.”
Utah governor Spencer Cox said the attack “was believed to be a targeted assassination,” though the shooter’s identity and motive remain unknown. “This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” he said, urging an end to the cycle of political violence.
Trump vows to hunt down killer
From the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump vowed vengeance. “My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity,” Trump declared in a video statement, promising to pursue not only the killer but “the organisations that fund and support” such acts.
Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, had long been one of Trump’s most visible allies and a galvanising figure for young conservatives. His death triggered bipartisan shock and sorrow, with Democrats and Republicans alike condemning the killing. Flags were ordered to half-mast across the country in his honour.
As of late Wednesday night, UVU remained under lockdown, police cars with flashing lights sealing off entrances as investigators scoured rooftops and surveillance feeds for any sign of the rooftop assassin who turned a political rally into a national tragedy.
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