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The FBI recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle its agents believe was used to kill MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk on Wednesday.
In a Thursday morning press conference, authorities told reporters that the suspect is believed to be of college age and blended in with students on campus.
Kirk, 31, was pronounced dead after being shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University. A manhunt to catch his killer remains ongoing.
- The FBI recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle believed used to kill MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
- The suspect is believed to be college-aged, blended with students, and fled into a wooded area after shooting Kirk in the neck.
- Authorities are treating the killing as a targeted attack; the FBI is analyzing footwear, palm, and forearm prints, no motive yet determined.
- President Trump ordered White House flags at half-mast and will posthumously award Kirk the Medal of Freedom.
The FBI said Charlie Kirk’s shooter is of ‘college age’
Image credits: Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images
Special Agent in Charge at the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, Robert Bohls, said the bolt-action rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter fled.
He said investigators were analyzing footwear, as well as a palm print and forearm imprints.
The FBI has not yet determined a motive for the shooting but is treating it as a targeted attack and believes there is no risk to the community.
Commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, Beau Mason, said at the press conference that the shooter is believed to be of college age.
Image credits: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
He added that the shooter arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m. and then made their way to the building where the shot was fired.
Utah Valley University believes that building is the Losee Center, about 200 yards away.
“We do have good video footage of this individual. We are not going to release that at this time,” Mason said.
“We’re working through some technologies and some ways to identify this individual,” he added.
“If we are unsuccessful, we will reach out to you as the media, and we will push that publicly to help us identify them.”
Mason told reporters that he was confident in their abilities to catch the shooter.
Image credits: Kadri Suat Celik/Anadolu via Getty Images
“We will not stand for what happened yesterday,” Mason said. “We are exhausting every lead — we have every officer invested in this, every investigator, every local agency.”
An elite sharpshooter told Daily Mailhe believes the attacker did not have official military training and was an “internet shooter.”
“They’re probably just an internet shooter, not a sniper or trained soldier,” U.S. Army Sgt. Nicholas Ranstad said.
“The security was super light, no crime at that school. So I guess the threat was low, apparently,” Ranstad added.
“That’s a buffet for someone who wanted to kill someone.”
Authorities recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle
Image credits (not the actual weapon): RifleShooter
Kirk was a co-founder of the activist organization Turning Point USA, which advocates for conservative politics on school and university campuses.
It was instrumental in securing youth support in the 2024 presidential election.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered flags at the White House to be flown at half-mast in his honor.
At a press conference on Thursday to mark the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack, Trump said he will posthumously award Kirk the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump said. “We miss him greatly, yet I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on.”
Image credits: Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images
“I am filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk.”
In a video after Kirk’s murder, Trump said: “I am filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk.”
“Charlie inspired millions and tonight all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror. Charlie is a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loves so much, the United States of America,” Trump added.
“He’s a model for truth and freedom, and there’s never been anyone who was so respected by youth.”
Kirk is survived by his wife and two children.
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