Federal and local law enforcement launched a multi-agency manhunt after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Kirk, 31, a father of two, was taking questions during an event at about 12:20 p.m. when a single round struck his neck. He was rushed to a local hospital and later pronounced dead. Authorities said the shooter fired from the roof of the Losee Center, located roughly 200 yards from the amphitheater where Kirk was speaking, and then fled the scene.
Dispatch recordings and campus surveillance described a lone suspect dressed largely in black, wearing aviator-style sunglasses, a black mask and carrying a long rifle. Officers reported seeing a shadowy figure run from the Losee Center roof shortly after the shot. Authorities said the suspect may have left on a motorcycle; police broadcast a lookout for a motorcyclist minutes after the shooting and deployed aircraft and a drone to search surrounding roads.
Investigators recovered a high-powered rifle in a nearby wooded area that has been sent to an FBI laboratory for analysis. Police also said they were examining footwear impressions, a palm print and forearm imprints found at or near the scene. Two men taken into custody on Wednesday were later released after interviews and are not considered suspects in the shooting, officials said.
Radio communications released by authorities show a tense, chaotic response as hundreds of students and spectators fled the campus. Officers reported that the university’s exits were heavily congested with foot and vehicle traffic as people evacuated. UVU police said they initially had six officers on site coordinating with Kirk’s private security detail for the roughly 3,000-person event; officers from neighboring agencies, including a SWAT sniper unit, responded as the situation unfolded.
Campus surveillance footage and eyewitness video captured brief glimpses of a person on the Losee Center roof in the minutes before and at the moment the gunshot rang out. According to radio logs, officers cleared the building’s second floor about 12:56 p.m. and reached the roof several minutes later. By about 1:30 p.m., a drone was searching the campus perimeter.
Investigators also confronted a series of false leads during the response. University staff reported a possible suspect at a hospital in the area; officers checked the patient and concluded he was not connected to the shooting. A man in the crowd, later identified as a 71-year-old bystanders, was filmed claiming responsibility and was removed by police; prosecutors have not charged him in connection to the shooting.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted on the social media platform X in the afternoon that a suspect was in custody, but hours later said that the person had been released following questioning. Officials said the shooter remained at large.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox pledged that state authorities would pursue the shooter to the fullest extent of the law and noted that Utah still has the death penalty. “To whoever did this: We will find you. We will try you and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law,” Cox said at a news conference.
Former President Donald Trump, who had counted Kirk as an ally, issued a statement from the Oval Office posted to his social platform, characterizing the killing as a consequence of political demonization and urging Americans to reject violent rhetoric. “For years, those on the radical Left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals,” he said. Trump called Kirk “a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate” and urged Americans to embrace Kirk’s stated values of free speech and civic engagement.
Kirk was a prominent conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA who had organized an “American Comeback” tour. He had been handing out merchandise and interacting with the audience shortly before the shooting, writing moments earlier on social media, “WE. ARE. SO. BACK.” The university had previously faced calls to bar his appearance; an online petition that received nearly 1,000 signatures urged administrators to cancel the event. Utah Valley University officials had declined to do so, citing First Amendment considerations and affirming a commitment to public debate.
UVU Police Chief Jeff Long acknowledged the challenges of providing security for the large crowd and said officers and event security had tried to cover the venue. “You try to get your bases covered, and unfortunately, today, we didn't,” Long said at a news briefing.
Federal and local authorities said the investigation remained active and warned that the suspect is still at large. Officials asked anyone with information about the shooting, the suspect’s description, or sightings of a motorcycle or person fitting the reported description to contact law enforcement. The case is being investigated jointly by local police, state authorities and federal agencies, and evidence recovered at the scene is being analyzed to identify and locate the shooter.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and two children. University officials, state leaders and national political figures expressed shock and sorrow as the investigation continued into the evening. Authorities said they would provide additional details as forensic analysis and witness interviews proceed.