Manhunt for shooter intensifies as killer of Charlie Kirk remains elusive on third day
The sniper responsible for the politically charged killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk was still on the run by Friday ( September 12), despite authorities releasing photos and videos of a man believed to be connected to the fatal shooting at a Utah university on Wednesday (September 10).
President Donald Trump announced that investigators were making progress in locating the gunman who fired a single shot that struck Kirk, a 31-year-old author and podcast host who played a pivotal role in energising conservative youth and helping Trump secure a second term in the White House.
The man seen in the video footage was still labelled as a “person of interest” rather than a suspect, though officials confirmed he was at the scene of the crime at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Kirk was on campus hosting one of his student outreach events, where he regularly engages in debates on contentious topics like gun violence and race. Around 3,000 people attended the event.
This shooting marks a tragic chapter in the increasing wave of political violence that has plagued the US since 2021. Since the Capitol riot, Reuters has tracked more than 300 politically motivated violent incidents spanning the political spectrum.
Trump himself has been the target of two assassination attempts in 2024, one of which left him with a grazed ear.
A video shown at a Thursday press briefing revealed a man walking across the building’s roof where the shot was fired, before descending and walking off campus. Authorities later discovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle in a nearby wooded area.
These rifles, often used by snipers and hunters, are more accurate at long distances and require manual reloading after each shot, making them well-suited for single, precise killings.
Beau Mason, Commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, reported that the investigation had yielded palm prints and smudges, with DNA being collected from the scene. Investigators also found a shoe imprint, which they believe matches Converse tennis shoes worn by the suspect.
Governor Spencer Cox of Utah, alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, urged the public’s help in identifying the suspect, who was partially obscured by a dark baseball cap and sunglasses in the footage.
He stressed that the case's resolution depended on public cooperation, citing the remarkable volume of tips, over 7,000, received, the highest since the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
The FBI has announced a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of the killer.
Meanwhile, the identity of the shooter and his potential ideological motivations have become a topic of intense speculation online, as both lawmakers and armchair detectives dissect the available evidence.
Kirk, a husband and father of two, was deeply cherished by Trump’s MAGA movement. Vice President JD Vance credited Kirk with playing a pivotal role in Trump’s re-election campaign and his administration's personnel decisions. Vance cancelled a trip to New York to visit Kirk's family in Utah, where he helped transport Kirk’s body back to Arizona aboard Air Force Two.
Trump has vowed to posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States.
“He was a great person, a great man — great in every way, especially with youth,” Trump remarked.
“Investigators are making great strides in finding Charlie Kirk’s assassin. We will have him soon, and we will deal with him appropriately,” Trump added.
Reuters
