Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday dismissed as "insane" and antisemitic online conspiracy theories that accused Israel of involvement in the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck on Wednesday while speaking at an outdoor debate-style event at Utah Valley University in Orem and later died at Timpanogos Regional Hospital. Authorities said the suspected shooter remains at large and investigators have said the suspect is likely a college-aged male with high proficiency in firearms and familiarity with the campus.
Speaking on the conservative television network Newsmax, Netanyahu called the claims that Israel or its intelligence agency Mossad were responsible for the killing "absurd" and tied them to a long history of antisemitic slanders. "That's insane. Israel also changes the orbit of the moon, Israel pushes the sun," he said sarcastically. He warned that myths about Jews as a dangerous, conspiratorial group have preceded violent persecutions throughout history.
The shooting occurred roughly 20 minutes after Kirk began speaking during a Turning Point USA "American Comeback" event attended by about 3,000 people. Video shared publicly shows a person running across a rooftop moments after a single gunshot was fired. Law enforcement officials have said they are using video footage to trace the suspect's movements and have received more than 7,000 tips from the public.
Federal and local authorities cautioned the public against relying on unverified social media posts and investigations are ongoing. Some posts on X, formerly Twitter, and other platforms quickly sought to link the attack to Israel, citing circumstantial items such as an aircraft flight path that briefly left radar or brief gestures by people seen on video near the stage. Other users suggested the wound was caused by an explosive device rather than a firearm. Investigators told the public no verified evidence supports those theories.
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, told reporters the department was "investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual." Authorities have offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the suspect, and private donations have increased that total: hedge fund manager Bill Ackman said he would add $1 million to the FBI's reward.
Utah law enforcement said early leads included a potential person of interest that three police sources discussed with CBS News, but that lead was later deemed unsuccessful. Officials have declined to name a suspect and have not publicly identified any persons seen in video as being connected to the shooting.
Kirk founded Turning Point USA, an organization that promotes conservative ideas on college campuses. He is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and two young children. In remarks cited by Netanyahu, Kirk had written a letter to the prime minister urging vigilance against slander; Netanyahu said Kirk had been "fighting on the battlefield of ideas." Netanyahu's comments placed the spread of the online theories in the context of historic antisemitic accusations that, he said, have led to violence in the past.
Law enforcement agencies asked anyone with reliable information or footage to come forward and urged the public to rely on official updates rather than social media speculation as the investigation continues. Detectives said they were examining extensive video from the campus and working with federal partners to identify and locate the person responsible.
As the manhunt continued into its third day, authorities reiterated that the investigation remains active and that members of the public should not draw conclusions from unverified posts circulating on social media.