The suspect who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk remains at large on Thursday, but authorities say there has been a breakthrough in the manhunt. Law enforcement has recovered a weapon and obtained “good footage” of the gunman, who is described as “college age.” Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was struck by a single bullet around 12:20 p.m. MDT on Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, at the start of his American Comeback Tour.
“This morning, I can tell you that we have recovered what we believe is the weapon that was used in yesterday’s shooting. It is a high-powered bolt action rifle,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said Thursday during a press conference. “That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled. So the FBI laboratory will be analyzing this weapon. Investigators have also collected footwear impression, a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis.”
Addressing the ongoing question of motive, Bohls said, “Now, I understand there are a lot of questions about motive. I assure you that all leads, tips, and tips are being fully investigated.”
He also confirmed that the investigation has received a substantial number of community reports: “As of this morning, we have received more than 130 tips. We thank the community for that.”
BREAKING: Authorities say a high-powered rifle has been found in a wooded area after the Charlie Kirk assassination. pic.twitter.com/f2Fcfxm8RU
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 11, 2025
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason provided a detailed account of how authorities tracked the suspect involved in the recent campus shooting. “Starting at 11:52 a.m., the subject arrived on campus, shortly away from campus,” Mason said, explaining that law enforcement had closely monitored the individual’s movements.
He continued, “We have tracked his movements onto the campus, through the stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof to a shooting location.” After the attack, Mason described how the suspect fled: “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 and into a neighborhood.”
Mason emphasized the thoroughness of the investigation. “Our investigators have worked through those neighborhoods, contacting anybody they can with doorbell cameras, witnesses, and have thoroughly worked through that, those communities, trying to identify any leads.”
The commissioner also addressed video evidence, noting, “We do have good video footage of this individual. We are not going to release that at this time.” He added that authorities were leveraging technology to pinpoint the suspect: “We are working through some technologies and some, some ways to identify this individual.”
Finally, Mason reassured the public that authorities were prepared to involve the media if necessary: “If we are unsuccessful, we will reach out to you as the media, and we will push that publicly to help us identify them. But we are confident in our abilities right now, and we would like to move forward in a manner that keeps everyone safe and moves this process appropriately.”
BREAKING: The FBI announces they have footage of the suspect who sh*t Charlie Kirk and are trying to identify him.
“We do have good video footage of this individual.”pic.twitter.com/xcszhb9cnn
— Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) September 11, 2025
PJ Media will continue to provide updates on this story.
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