The manhunt for the assassin who killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk continues, but the investigation has narrowed in on key leads, including the suspect’s footprint and weapon. At a joint briefing, the FBI and Utah’s Department of Public Safety indicated that the suspect had apparently discarded the gun believed to have shoot Charlie Kirk in a wooded area.
Investigators recovered the weapon, which officials identified as a high-powered bolt-action rifle. Authorities said the suspect appeared to have fled into the wooded area after the shooting occurred on Wednesday. Utah DPS Commissioner Beau Mason described how investigators traced the shooter’s movements through campus. According to Mason, the suspect arrived shortly before noon, made his way through stairwells, and climbed onto the roof to reach the shooting location.
After opening fire, the gunman crossed the building, leapt from the roof, and disappeared into a nearby neighbourhood. Alongside the rifle, investigators also recovered a footprint and a forearm imprint, which they believe may provide critical evidence in identifying the shooter. Officials say the suspect “appears to be of college age” and managed to blend into the campus environment before carrying out the attack.
FBI special agent Robert Bohls confirmed that authorities have strong video and photographic evidence of the suspect, but are not releasing it yet. He added that the investigation has generated over 130 community tips, and all resources are being exhausted to track down the individual.
While the FBI does not believe the broader community is at risk, Bohls acknowledged that they are not sure “how far he has gone yet.” Meanwhile, many are left traumatised after the shooting. Mason noted that some students and staff barricaded themselves in classrooms while others fled in panic as the gunfire rang out.
“I can’t overstate the tragedy and the horrific event that yesterday was,” he said. Kirk’s family is reeling from the loss. Mason said he spoke with Kirk’s wife, Erika, who described the family as devastated. Officials are working to return Kirk’s body from the state medical examiner to his loved ones. In the wake of the killing, President Trump announced that Kirk will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with a ceremony to be scheduled at a later date.
