Authorities released images Thursday showing what they described as a rooftop sniper’s perch used to fatally shoot conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk during a midday event at Utah Valley University, and said an urgent manhunt for the shooter remains under way.
The photographs, provided by investigators, show spent cartridge casings and other evidence on the roof of the Losee Building, about 200 yards from where Kirk was speaking to a crowd at a Turning Point USA event when he was struck. Police said the shooter is believed to have fired a single, precise shot from the building and then jumped from the roof before fleeing into a nearby neighborhood.
Officials said a ladder was found leaning against the side of the building and that, during searches in nearby woodland, investigators recovered a Mauser .30-caliber bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel. Law enforcement officials said the rifle contained a spent cartridge in the chamber and three additional rounds in the magazine; the weapon and ammunition are being examined at a federal forensic laboratory.
Authorities also released an image of a person of interest seen wearing a black T-shirt bearing a bald eagle over an American flag and the text "Land of the Free.... Home of the Brave." The Utah Department of Public Safety offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the individual’s arrest. Officials said two people initially detained in the aftermath were later released and were not found to have fired the shot.
Investigators said they had found engravings at an unspecified location that referenced "transgender and antifascist ideology," and that they are exploring all possible motives. A news conference that had been scheduled for Thursday afternoon was canceled by the Utah Department of Public Safety, which cited "rapid developments in our investigation." Authorities did not elaborate on the developments at the time.
Kirk, a founder of Turning Point USA and a prominent conservative media figure, was shot Wednesday as he addressed an audience of about 3,000 students and attendees on the university campus in Orem, Utah. He was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. He is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and two young children.
Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Utah to meet with Kirk’s family, and officials said Vance offered to transport Kirk’s casket to Phoenix aboard Air Force Two. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform that Kirk was dead, calling him "great" and offering condolences to his family.
The shooting prompted immediate security reviews at the university and prompted nationwide condemnation from political leaders across the spectrum. Law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels said they were cooperating on the investigation and urged anyone with information to come forward. Investigators did not release additional details about potential suspects or a timeline for identifying and apprehending the shooter.
Officials said they are pursuing forensic leads from the weapon and scene, digital and physical surveillance, witness interviews and community tips. The FBI and other federal partners typically assist in shootings that may involve interstate flight or federally regulated weapons; officials said the investigation remains active and evolving.
The shooting follows a series of high-profile political attacks and has intensified debate over security at political and public events. Local authorities cautioned the public to avoid speculation on social media and to rely on official updates as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information about the person of interest or the shooting was asked to contact the Utah Department of Public Safety or local law enforcement. The department reiterated that details of the investigation could change rapidly as new evidence is processed.