The FBI announced it is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible for the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Authorities also released images of a person of interest sought in connection with the fatal shooting of Kirk, as the manhunt for the suspect (who is believed to be college-aged) continues. Officials said during press conference on Thursday that they are working “around the clock” to locate the individual.
The FBI’s Salt Lake City office said on X while sharing two images of the individual: “we are asking for the public’s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.” The images, which show a man wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.
Officials also released a new video on Thursday evening, which was played during a news conference with state and federal officials, of the person of interest. In the latest video, the suspected gunman can be seen climbing down from the roof of a building on the campus of Utah Valley University where authorities believe he fired the fatal shot and fled rom the scene. Authorities said they have received more than 7,000 tips and leads and completed some 200 interviews.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said on Thursday that officials said they have been able to track the movements of the shooter and have video footage of the individual. The suspect is said to have arrived Wednesday at 11:52 a.m. on the Orem campus, and then proceeded to travel through the stairwells up to the roof of a building near the where the outdoors event was taking place, before the suspect fired down at Kirk – who was hit by a single shot at approximately 12:20 p.m. and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
After the shooting, the suspect traveled to the other side of building, jumped off and fled off-campus into a neighborhood. The FBI stated it has recovered what is believed to be the weapon used in the deadly shooting. According to Salt Lake City FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls, a “high-powered bolt action rifle” was recovered in a wooded area near where the shooting took place. The rifle is an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle wrapped in a towel. The location of the firearm appears to match the suspect’s route of travel, officials said. he spent cartridge was still chambered and three unspent cartridges contained wording on them expressing what some law enforcement officials described as “transgender and anti-fascist” writing. The firearm and ammunition have been taken by the FBI for DNA analysis and fingerprint impressions.
The FBI asked for tips from the public as the manhunt for the perpetrator continues, urging anyone with information, photos or video from the incident to share it with investigators by calling the FBI (1-800-CALL-FBI) or submitting images and videos to fbi.gov/utahvalleyshooting.
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