Federal authorities say bullets engraved with transgender and anti-fascist messaging were found in the rifle believed to have been used to fatally shoot conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a campus event in Orem, Utah, a law-enforcement bulletin reported by The Wall Street Journal said.
The FBI said agents recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle from a wooded area near the scene and sent the weapon to an FBI laboratory for further analysis, Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the bureau's Salt Lake City field office, told reporters. Officials said investigators also recovered palm and footwear prints at the scene and have received more than 130 tips since the killing.
Kirk, 31, was speaking to students in an outdoor courtyard at Utah Valley University when a gunman opened fire, officials said. Eyewitness accounts quoted by authorities described a question-and-answer exchange in which a questioner asked about transgender people and mass shootings; Kirk answered, "Too many," and a follow-up question was posed immediately before a shot rang out, according to video and witness statements reviewed by investigators.
Authorities said the rifle was recovered in a wooded area after the suspect fled the campus. Bohls described the recovered weapon as a "high-powered bolt action rifle." The Wall Street Journal reported that a law-enforcement notice to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents said the rifle was wrapped in a towel and that a spent cartridge was left in the chamber. Investigators reportedly found three unspent rounds in the magazine, each bearing engraved wording.
Officials provided preliminary descriptions of the suspect as a male of college age who arrived on campus shortly before noon, blended in with students, and after firing a fatal shot jumped from a roof and fled into a nearby neighborhood. Utah public safety chief Beau Mason said investigators have "good video footage" of the suspect. First responders initially described the shooter as wearing all black and aviator-style sunglasses.
In the immediate aftermath, authorities detained multiple people who were later cleared. A 71-year-old man, identified by local media as George Zinn, was initially taken into custody after bystanders alleged he had fired the shot; law enforcement later determined he was not involved. Officials have said one other person briefly detained was not the shooter.
Investigators said they collected physical evidence at the scene, including palm and footwear prints, and recovered the firearm to be forensically examined at an FBI lab. Agents have also been following tips and leads developed from surveillance footage and witness accounts.
Kirk is a well-known conservative activist and commentator who frequently speaks on college campuses. Authorities and university officials warned the public to avoid speculation about motive while the investigation continues. Law enforcement has not publicly identified a suspect or disclosed a motive.
The Salt Lake City field office of the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are leading the probe, and a manhunt remains active. Authorities asked anyone with information or relevant video to contact investigators. This is a developing story and details may change as officials release more information.