Utah dispatch audio released Friday captures the frantic response after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on a college campus, with a dispatcher describing a suspect in all black tactical gear carrying a long rifle as police launched a manhunt.
The call came in about 12:20 p.m. on Sept. 10, roughly 20 minutes into Kirk’s appearance at Utah Valley University in Orem, officials said. Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at the group’s “American Comeback Tour” when a single bullet struck him in the neck. He was rushed to a hospital by private security and first responders and later pronounced dead.
Dispatch recordings released by local authorities and published by media outlets include a dispatcher telling radio units that the university had an active shooter at the Charlie Kirk event and that callers were reporting a single person had been shot. In the recordings, a dispatcher later says the suspect was described as "wearing all black, black long gun, black tactical helmet, a black mask, possibly wearing a tactical vest and jeans." Another dispatcher said it was unknown where the shooter went.
Police and campus security were on the scene within minutes, and authorities initially detained two people for questioning. A man identified as George Zinn was arrested on obstruction charges and later released. A second person of interest, identified as Zachariah Qureshi, was questioned and released. The Utah Department of Public Safety said there were "no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals" and that the investigation and manhunt for the shooter were ongoing.
Investigators later said they had traced the sniper’s escape route and recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle. Authorities said the shot was fired from about 200 yards away, likely from a rooftop on the opposite side of the plaza from where Kirk stood. Video circulating online shows a dark-clad figure on a rooftop above the plaza; police have said they believe the shooter fired from a perch atop the Losee Center building.
Witnesses described a single gunshot that sent people fleeing. Videos from the event show attendees screaming and scattering after the shot. Authorities said Kirk was debating with students under a tent at the time of the shooting and that he was the only person reported injured.
Local and federal investigators have said they are reviewing surveillance footage, cellphone pings and other digital evidence to identify the shooter and uncover his movements before and after the shot. Former federal agents and security experts have said standard investigative steps in a case involving a long-distance, fixed-position shot would include a detailed review of rooftop access, vehicle movements in the immediate area and footage from nearby cameras.
Kirk, a prominent conservative organizer and media figure who founded Turning Point USA, drew national attention to the shooting. The incident prompted vigils and statements across the country. Law enforcement officials cautioned against speculation and said the probe remained active.
Authorities urged anyone with information, video or images related to the shooting to contact investigators. The Utah Department of Public Safety and local police have not identified a suspect or offered a motive and said the investigation is ongoing.
Further updates were expected as investigators continue to process evidence, interview witnesses and search for leads in the manhunt for the person who fired the fatal shot.