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Search for Charlie Kirk’s killer continues. Here’s what we know.

by Emily Mae Czachor
September 11, 2025
Reading Time: 5 mins read
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Search for Charlie Kirk’s killer continues. Here’s what we know.

A search was continuing Thursday for the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk at an event at Utah Valley University. Kirk, a prominent conservative activist who co-founded the right-wing advocacy group Turning Point USA, was 31.

Authorities have not yet identified or apprehended a suspect nor specified a motive, but on Thursday officials revealed new details about the shooter’s movements, a weapon that was recovered and the investigation.

The Utah Public Safety Department and the Salt Lake City FBI office also posted two images of someone they called a “person of interest,” showing an individual appearing to be wearing a dark long-sleeve shirt, and a hat and sunglasses. It asked for the public’s help in identifying the person.

The FBI released 2 photos of a

The FBI said it is seeking the public’s help in identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. 

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FBI


Officials took two people into custody Wednesday in the wake of the shooting but later said neither was tied to the shooting and both were released.  

Here is what we know so far about the ongoing investigation.  

Suspect at large

Authorities said the suspect remained at large Thursday and that a manhunt is underway to identify and capture the person responsible.

Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said the suspect was a male who “blended in” with the college community and appears to be “college-age.” 

Mason said investigators have been able to track the shooter’s movements before and after the assassination. He said the gunman is believed to have arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m. local time Wednesday and moved through stairwells to the roof of a building near where Kirk’s event was taking place, which was the shooting location. 

Mason said the shooter moved to the other side of the building after firing a single shot, then jumped off and fled into a neighborhood off campus. Investigators contacted homeowners with cameras, and witnesses, to identify leads, he said.

Mason also said authorities “have good video footage” of the suspect, which they hope will help as they work to identify him. 

Weapon recovered

FBI special-agent-in-charge Robert Bohls said Thursday that investigators recovered a “high-powered, bolt-action rifle,” which they believe was the weapon used in the assassination. It was found in a wooded area where the shooter fled and will be analyzed by the FBI, according to Bohls. 

Investigators also have a footwear impression, palm print and forearm imprints that will be analyzed, the FBI official said.

The FBI’s Salt Lake City field office established a tip submission form where people can share information or about the shooting. The agency said it has “full resources devoted to this investigation, including tactical, operational, investigative and intelligence.” It is investigating along with Utah state authorities.

A “targeted attack”

Kirk was struck in the neck at around 12 p.m. local time Wednesday by a single gunshot, which the perpetrator fired as Kirk addressed a large crowd at an outdoor “Prove Me Wrong” debate on Utah Valley University’s campus in Orem, Utah. 

The “Prove Me Wrong” debate is a trademark event for Kirk’s Turning Point USA, a conservative organization focused on young people, where he would hold political debates with a group that usually consisted of left-leaning attendees. Kirk had visited the Utah school as part of a nationwide tour of college campuses that was scheduled to continue for the next two months. About 3,000 people attended the outdoor event, the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement.

While authorities have not specified a potential motive for the shooting, Mason said they believe it was a “targeted attack toward one individual.” Only one shot was fired, and Kirk was the only victim, according to the commissioner.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called the shooting “a political assassination,” while President Trump, in a video posted to Truth Social, blamed it on “radical left political violence,” which he said “has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives.”  Mr. Trump vowed to “find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity.” Kirk was a close Trump ally and was credited with galvanizing younger voters during his campaign.

Bohls reiterated Thursday that investigators consider the shooting to be a “targeted event,” and do not believe there are lingering risks to the public.

Shooting location

A map produced by CBS News’ Confirmed team shows where Kirk was when he was shot — in the central courtyard of Utah Valley University, which is surrounded by campus buildings.

A university spokeswoman said Wednesday they believed the shot was fired from the Losee Center. A law enforcement source told CBS News that the gunman appeared to have fired from the building’s roof.

Video verified by CBS News shows a person running across the building’s roof in the moments after the shooting, about 400 feet from where Kirk was speaking. Authorities have not confirmed whether that person is connected to the attack. Drone video captured afterward shows police tape on the roof where the person was seen.

mapkirk2.png

CBS News Confirmed


On Thursday, Bohls of the FBI said investigators had received over 130 tips and that those tips and other leads were being “fully investigated.”

Kaia Hubbard,

Kathryn Watson,

Erielle Delzer,

Joe Walsh and

Melissa Quinn

contributed to this report.

More from CBS News

Emily Mae Czachor

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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Emily Mae Czachor

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