BUZZ
Suspect ‘blended in well with the college institute’ and ‘appears to be of college age,’ authorities say
Utah authorities found the weapon they believe was used to assassinate conservative campus activist Charlie Kirk, but the suspect is still at-large, a Salt Lake City FBI agent said at a press conference Thursday morning.
Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of Salt Lake City FBI office, described the weapon as a high-powered bolt action rifle. He said authorities found it in a wooded area where they believe the suspect fled the Utah Valley University campus after shooting Kirk.
Additionally, Bohls said the FBI now has palm and forearm prints and a shoeprint of the suspect.
“Tips are being fully investigated,” Bohls said. “As of this morning, we have received more than 130 tips.”
The suspect “blended in well with the college institute” and “appears to be of college age,” Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said.
Mason said they have “good video” of the suspect, but they are not releasing the footage yet.
“We are investing everything we have into this. We will catch this individual,” Mason said at the press conference.
🚨 BREAKING: Investigators have obtained “high quality” video of the Charlie Kirk assassin, but will NOT yet be releasing it to the public yet
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 11, 2025
The suspect arrived on campus at 11:52am, walked across campus, and accessed a rooftop from a stairwell.
After the shooting, he ran to… pic.twitter.com/9O9sDjfLWm
Meanwhile, Bohls said authorities believe the shooting was a “targeted event,” and they do not believe the community is at risk.
He also said authorities have received more than 130 tips, and encouraged anyone with photos or videos to contact the Salt Lake City FBI office.
He declined to speak about a possible motive.
Earlier, the Associated Press reported that authorities detained two people after the shooting “but neither was determined to be connected to the shooting and both were released.”
On Wednesday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described the Turning Point USA leader’s death at Utah Valley University as a “political assassination.”
Kirk, a political and cultural Christian activist who led a massive and effective outreach organization debating liberal students and educating on conservative issues on campuses across the country, was shot in the neck as he spoke to a crowd of thousands.
The shot was taken from roughly 100 to 200 yards away, according to Utah police. “Utah authorities said the shooter wore dark clothing and fired from a roof on campus some distance away,” PBS reported.
