FBI has released images of a person of interest connected to the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Gatekeepers News reports that the FBI’s Salt Lake City office posted on X while sharing surveillance images showing the individual in a baseball cap and sunglasses, that “We are asking for the public’s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk.”
The Utah Department of Public Safety said the screenshots were pulled from campus cameras shortly before the shooting. Authorities are offering up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspect.
Shooting Details and Recovery of Weapon
Officials said the suspect, believed to be college-aged, entered the Orem campus at 11:52 a.m., moved through stairwells to a rooftop, and fired a single shot at Kirk during an outdoor event. Kirk was struck around 12:20 p.m. and later pronounced dead at a hospital. The shooter fled into a nearby neighborhood.
Investigators have since recovered a high-powered Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle, wrapped in a towel, in a wooded area near the scene. “The location of the firearm appears to match the suspect’s route of travel,” FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls said. Forensic testing will be conducted at the FBI lab in Quantico.
Authorities also collected a footwear impression, palm print, and forearm imprints. “We will not stand for what happened yesterday,” Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said. “We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual.”
Reactions and Political Fallout
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described the attack as a “political assassination”, vowing: “We will find you. We will try you, and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law.”
President Donald Trump told reporters Thursday that authorities were “making big progress” in the investigation. Calling Kirk’s death “one of the most horrible things I’ve ever seen,” Trump said he spoke with Kirk’s widow and announced he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He also ordered flags nationwide to be flown at half-staff through Sunday.
“This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now,” Trump said, blaming political demonization of conservatives.
Vice President JD Vance called Kirk “a genuinely good guy and a young father,” and confirmed he would meet Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City before accompanying his casket to Phoenix.
Condemnation came from across the political spectrum. Former President Joe Biden said, “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the shooting “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible.”
Kirk, 31, was a close ally of Trump and a leading figure in conservative youth politics. He founded Turning Point USA in 2012 at age 18 and played a key role in mobilizing young voters in the 2024 elections.
Investigation Ongoing
Officials said more than 200 tips have been received, and investigators are working “around the clock” to track the suspect. The FBI emphasized the shooting was targeted and urged anyone with information to come forward.
