Law enforcement officials said Thursday that the gunshot that killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 came from the roof of a campus building at Utah Valley University and that investigators are using rooftop video and physical evidence as they continue a broad manhunt.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason told reporters authorities have tracked the suspect "onto the campus through the stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof to a shooting location" and followed his movements as he left the site and fled into a neighborhood. No suspect was in custody as of Thursday afternoon, officials said, and the FBI released images of a person of interest and is offering up to $100,000 for information leading to identification and arrest.
Investigators said they recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle, described by officials as an older Mauser .30-06, in a nearby wooded area wrapped in a towel. The weapon reportedly had a spent cartridge in the chamber and three unused rounds in the magazine; forensic teams from the FBI were analyzing the rifle and ammunition. A law enforcement media release said investigators also collected a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis.
Authorities said they have "good video footage" of the shooter on the roof at the location from which shots were fired and that they are using that footage to identify the suspect. Officials have been canvassing neighborhoods, reviewing doorbell and security camera footage and interviewing witnesses in an effort to develop leads.
The shooting occurred during a Turning Point event on the UVU campus where about 3,000 people had gathered on a courtyard lawn for an appearance by Kirk, the founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA. Witness accounts and timeline details released by multiple law enforcement sources say Kirk began speaking around 12:09 p.m. local time, and a single shot struck him roughly 14 minutes into the event. Attendees and reporters described immediate panic and a rapid campus lockdown.
Videos taken by bystanders and livestreamers captured a dark-clad figure on a roof of the Losee Center moments before and after the shot, and police said the roof can be reached by an external staircase and several access routes. Officials said the person seen in footage appeared to jump from the roof and run off campus among fleeing crowds; Mason told reporters the route led into a nearby residential area where investigators later searched and canvassed for witnesses.
Campus security at the event was limited, with university police supplemented by private security, according to accounts from university officials and news reports. Utah Valley University announced the campus would remain closed through Monday, Sept. 15, and advised students to stay away while investigators worked. Media were allowed limited vehicular access to drive through the campus as the investigation continued.
A law enforcement advisory said a firearms expert found engravings and inscriptions on some of the ammunition that appeared to reference political or ideological messages; a senior official later cautioned that earlier readings of those markings may have been misinterpreted. FBI agents and other specialists were reviewing all recovered items for forensic links to suspects.
Investigators have released grainy still images of a person of interest seen in a stairwell carrying a long gun and wearing a dark baseball cap, sunglasses and a dark shirt with an American flag motif. Officials urged anyone with information or footage to contact the FBI. The agency has said the investigation is "fast-moving and constantly evolving." A press briefing scheduled for Thursday was canceled because of "rapid developments in our investigation," state police said.
The killing prompted immediate national reaction from political figures, media personalities and supporters. President Donald Trump posted condolences, and vigils were organized in multiple cities. Prominent commentators expressed shock and called for restraint, urging peaceful political discourse. Podcast host Joe Rogan described Kirk as a figure who promoted debate and said his death should not be celebrated by political opponents.
Federal and local authorities said they would continue to work around the clock on forensic analysis, video review and neighborhood canvassing. Officials emphasized the investigation remained active and asked anyone with relevant video, photos or tips to make them available to law enforcement through the FBI tip line.
Utah investigators did not provide a timeline for reopening the Losee Center or for returning items left on campus during the lockdown, citing the ongoing investigation. The FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety said they would provide further updates as significant investigative developments occur.