A nationwide manhunt continued Friday after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University, authorities said, as investigators released details about a college-aged suspect, recovered a high-powered rifle and appealed for public tips.
Police said the suspect, described as a college-aged male, fired a single round from a rooftop about 200 yards from the stage during a Turning Point USA event on Sept. 10, 2025, striking Kirk in the neck. Kirk, 31, was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital and pronounced dead. The event, part of an "American Comeback Tour" and billed as a "Prove Me Wrong" debate, drew roughly 3,000 people and was the first stop on a planned 15-date university tour.
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said investigators have tracked the suspect onto the campus and through stairwells to a roof where the shot was fired. Mason said video footage places the man on campus at 11:52 a.m., 28 minutes before the shooting, and shows him leaving the roof and fleeing into a neighborhood after the shot. "We have tracked his movements onto the campus, through stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof to the shooting location," Mason said at a news conference. "After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building, and fled off of the campus into a neighbourhood."
Authorities described the suspect's appearance as a long-sleeve black shirt displaying an American flag, dark sunglasses, a baseball cap and Converse sneakers. Investigators said they also have footage showing the man limping through a neighborhood toward the campus before the shooting. Mason said detectives were examining "good video footage" and had received more than 7,000 tips from the public.
Investigators later recovered a Mauser bolt-action rifle chambered in .30-06 in a wooded area near the campus. The weapon and evidence from the scene were transported to an FBI laboratory in Virginia, where forensic teams are conducting analyses, including for fingerprints and DNA. Authorities said the rifle contained several rounds; media reports said some of the rounds were engraved with messages that commenters have characterized as referring to transgender issues. Police have not publicly confirmed motive.
Two retired FBI agents quoted by U.S. media described the suspect as experienced with firearms. Dennis Franks, a former FBI agent, said the precision of the shot and the distance involved suggested a high level of marksmanship and that the shooter may have been familiar with hunting. "It required a lot of confidence to be able to take the shot, to execute and hit where it did," Franks said. Retired FBI agent Brad Garrett told ABC News that the crime appeared carefully planned, including where the possible murder weapon was discarded, suggesting the shooter sought to avoid being seen carrying a weapon while fleeing.
Law enforcement officials said an initial lead that had produced a person of interest did not lead to charges. Two people detained in the immediate aftermath were released without charges. The Salt Lake City media identified one of them as George Zinn, 71, who was arrested on campus on a potential obstruction charge and later released, authorities said.
Federal, state and local investigators, including the FBI, continue to canvass the area and analyze forensic evidence. A $100,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the identification of the shooter. Mason said state investigators are dedicating extensive resources to the case: "We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual."
The killing prompted nationwide reactions. President Donald Trump condemned the shooting, ordered flags lowered to half-staff and announced plans to posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Local police increased patrols in the area following the attack and deployed armed officers to the scene while investigators secured evidence.
Authorities have urged anyone with information or relevant video footage to contact Utah law enforcement. As forensic testing proceeds in the FBI lab and investigators follow tips, officials said they are prioritizing confirmation of the suspect's identity and any possible motives, while cautioning that the investigation remains active and evolving.