US authorities announced that they found the weapon believed to have been used in the murder of Charlie Kirk and released images of a person of interest , while the manhunt for the perpetrator, described as a young man, continues.

The FBI announced that it is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible for Kirk's murder.

Kirk, 31, a podcast host and close ally of Donald Trump , was shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University.

According to authorities, the perpetrator arrived a few minutes before the event , climbed the stairs to the roof of a neighboring building and shot Kirk in the neck while he was answering a question about gun violence.

He then jumped off the other side of the building and escaped. The weapon - a high-powered, bolt-action rifle - was found in a nearby wooded area, along with palm prints and shoe prints which are being examined.

According to a WSJ report, citing an internal authorities report and a source with knowledge of the investigation, the ammunition found in the rifle, which is believed to have been used in the murder, was engraved with slogans in support of transgender people and anti-fascist ideology .

Police described the shooter as a college-aged individual who blended easily on campus.

The FBI released photos of a man wearing a black shirt, hat, and sunglasses, whom it called a person of interest.

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.

1-800-CALL-FBI

Digital media tips: https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc

— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) September 11, 2025

The body will be transported on Air Force Two.

The murder has sparked strong reactions and condemnations of political violence from Democrats, Republicans and foreign governments.

Kirk, married with two children, had just returned from a tour of South Korea and Japan. Known for his ultraconservative stances on race, gender, immigration and gun control, he was known for encouraging lively debates with audiences, even in hostile audiences.

Trump spoke of a heinous murder and announced that he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom . In a message from the Oval Office, he pledged to find those responsible and those who contribute to or finance the political violence, blaming the rhetoric of the radical Left for the atmosphere that led to the murder.

Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife are traveling to Salt Lake City to meet with the family and close friends of Charlie Kirk . According to a source cited by Fox News, the body of the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA is expected to be flown on Air Force Two to Phoenix, Arizona, tonight, along with family members and friends.

The organization TPUSA is based in Phoenix, where its friends and supporters gathered for a vigil on Wednesday night.

Vance paid tribute to Kirk in a lengthy post on X, describing him as a man of courage, faith, and deep devotion. As he noted, Kirk had been his close friend and political companion, with their relationship dating back to 2016 and culminating in the 2024 campaign.

"Charlie was one of the first people I called when I was thinking about running for Senate in 2021," Vance wrote."We talked about everything from strategy and funding to the grassroots movement he knew so well. He introduced me to people who ran my campaign and Donald Trump Jr."

Vance stressed that Kirk played a crucial role in Trump's decision to choose him as his vice presidential running mate in 2024.

Fears of a vicious cycle of political violence

Kirk's murder marks, according to experts, a turning point in the escalation of political violence in the United States, with concerns that it will serve as a flashpoint for new conflicts in an already deeply divided society.

The fact is frightening, disturbing, but not necessarily surprising, noted Mike Jensen, a researcher at the University of Maryland, who has been recording incidents of political violence since 1970.

In the first half of 2025, the US recorded approximately 150 politically motivated attacks – almost double the number from the same period last year.

We are at an extremely dangerous point that could lead to widespread social unrest if we don't control it, he added.

Researchers identify a series of factors that fuel violence: economic insecurity, anxiety about demographic changes, but also the increasingly inflammatory tone of public discourse.

Traditional disagreements at the policy level have turned into personal animosity, which is reinforced by social networks, conspiracy theories and individual obsessions.

From the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to the 2024 elections, Reuters has documented more than 300 incidents of political violence, the largest and most sustained wave since the 1970s.

Extreme political violence is becoming more and more normal in our country, and the murder of Charlie Kirk is indicative of a larger problem: acts of violence are occurring more and more frequently, even without a clear ideology or motive, said John Lewis, a researcher at the George Washington University Program on Extremism.

Political Science Professor Liliana Mason of Johns Hopkins University highlighted the danger of escalation through retaliation: No one wants to be the one to start the violence, but many want to be the one to end it.

Jensen warned that the developments could lead to a vicious cycle of conflict. This administration has brought about profound changes in eight months. Some love them, some hate them. Those who hate them start acting violently. Those who love them will respond. And so it creates a spiral that could lead to something very bad indeed.