The sniper who fatally shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk remained at large on Friday, despite investigators releasing photos and video of the man believed responsible for Wednesday’s politically motivated attack at a Utah university.
President Donald Trump confirmed that law enforcement was making progress in tracking down the gunman. Kirk, a 31-year-old author, podcaster, and a key figure in energizing conservative youth, was killed by a single rifle shot to the neck while attending a student-outreach event at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Authorities described the individual caught on camera as a “person of interest” rather than a confirmed suspect but placed him at the scene of the crime. The event, which drew nearly 3,000 people, followed Kirk’s trademark style of debates and discussions on divisive topics such as race and gun violence.
This shooting underscores the most intense period of political violence in the United States since the 1970s. According to Reuters, more than 300 politically motivated attacks have been documented since the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump himself has survived two assassination attempts in the past year, including one that left him with a grazed ear during a campaign stop.
Video footage released Thursday showed a man walking across a rooftop before climbing down, fleeing the campus, and disappearing into a wooded area where police later recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle believed to be the murder weapon. Bolt-action rifles, often used by hunters and military snipers, are known for their long-range accuracy and precision.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said investigators found palm prints, DNA traces, and a shoe imprint consistent with Converse sneakers. Utah Governor Spencer Cox, joined by FBI Director Kash Patel, urged the public to help identify the slender young man wearing a dark baseball cap and sunglasses. The FBI has already received more than 7,000 digital tips, a level of response not seen since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
The FBI announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the shooter. Meanwhile, speculation and debates about the suspect’s identity and motives continue to circulate online.
Kirk, who leaves behind a wife and two children, was a beloved figure in Trump’s MAGA movement. Vice President JD Vance praised his pivotal role in Trump’s 2024 election victory and personally accompanied Kirk’s family back to Arizona aboard Air Force Two. Trump also announced that Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, calling him “a great man in every way, especially with America’s youth.”
