A retired FBI supervisory special agent said investigators handling the manhunt following the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk applied a strategy used in the aftermath of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing: release verified images to the public while withholding a suspect’s name until forensic confirmation and notifications were complete.
President Donald Trump on Friday said a suspect in the Kirk killing had been captured, ending a tense two-day search in which the FBI circulated video and still images of a dark-clad figure seen on a rooftop near the Utah Valley University event but did not initially identify a person of interest. Jason Pack, who led counterterrorism investigations during his FBI career, told Fox News Digital the approach was intentional and aimed at protecting the integrity of the investigation and public safety.
"You need biometrics, records and independent confirmation before you hang a name on a suspect. That protects the public and the case," Pack said. "Same playbook we used in Boston. Show the public what you are certain about to trigger quality tips and hold what is not yet courtroom-ready."
Authorities released surveillance and cellphone video that showed a figure in dark clothing and Converse-style sneakers on a rooftop near the stage moments before the shooting. Law enforcement officials said the footwear attracted attention but stressed that footwear alone does not prove involvement.
"Footwear alone does not define tradecraft," Pack said. "Some offenders choose non-tactical shoes to blend on sidewalks, move quietly, or to misdirect. It could be comfort, availability, or deliberate disguise. Investigators will weigh gait, wear patterns and outsole marks against any scene impressions, not just the brand."
Pack noted investigators must balance the need to generate public tips with the imperative of confirming identity through biometric and forensic testing. He cited prior cases in which authorities withheld names until such confirmation was complete, including the identification of the Tsarnaev brothers through images after the Boston attack and the 2020 Nashville Christmas Day bombing, in which DNA testing played a central role.
Officials in Utah announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for Kirk’s death. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox spoke alongside FBI Director Kash Patel at a news conference as federal and local investigators appealed to the public for tips during the manhunt.
Pack said reward amounts are not determined by a single formula but by assessments of urgency, public threat and available resources. "In this case, with a gunman at large after a high-profile political assassination, officials opted for a high figure up front to generate leads quickly," he said. "There was a lot of pressure on law enforcement. They wanted to get it right."
Investigators declined to release a suspect’s name while they sought positive identification that would meet a prosecutable threshold and until next of kin and other notification steps had been completed, Pack said. He added that in some past investigations authorities suspected a person before making a public identification but waited for DNA or other forensic confirmation to rule out mistakes, such as stolen wallets or misidentification.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and a prominent conservative commentator, was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University. The killing has drawn national attention because of his profile in conservative political circles and the rarity of targeted political assassinations on U.S. soil.
Local, state and federal investigators have said the probe remains active. Law enforcement officials have appealed to anyone with information to come forward and have indicated that forensic analysis and tip corroboration will play central roles in developing charges. Pack, who has worked on high-profile federal investigations, said the cautious disclosure approach aims to preserve evidence for prosecution while leveraging public assistance when it is most likely to produce reliable leads.
The account of tactics and timing provided by Pack was given to Fox News Digital and reflects long-standing investigative practices in high-profile, high-pressure cases. Authorities have provided periodic public updates while emphasizing that details essential to the investigation would be released when they met evidentiary standards for identification and charging.