U.S. federal authorities have requested public assistance in identifying a person of interest linked to the murder of Charlie Kirk, publishing photographs that could prove crucial in clarifying the events.
In the official statement, the FBI urged those with relevant information to contact the number 1-800-CALL THE FBI, stressing the importance of public input in the identification process.
In addition, the federal agency has made available channels for submitting digital media tips, thus expanding the contact channels for those who can contribute data or audiovisual material related to the incident.
The investigation into the shooting that ended the life of Charlie Kirk on the premises of Utah Valley University remains open, and authorities continue to call on the community to provide any information that may facilitate the location of the person whose image has been disseminated.
Earlier, federal authorities confirmed they have recovered the gun used to kill conservative activist Charlie Kirk and are reviewing “good video” of the suspect.
A photo released by the FBI of Charlie Kirk's possible killerRobert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI Salt Lake City office, revealed during a news conference that the murder weapon is a “high-powered, bolt-action rifle” that was “recovered in a wooded area where the shooter fled” after Wednesday’s attack at Utah Valley University.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason confirmed that authorities obtained “good video” of the individual they believe is Kirk’s killer.
“We have good video,” Mason said at the time. “If we’re not successful, we’ll turn to you as the media and make it public to help us identify him. But we’re confident in our capabilities right now.”
Investigators have made several “breakthroughs” in their hunt for the shooter, according to Mason, who detailed the suspect’s movements. The shooter arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m. local time, climbed onto a roof, made his way to the other side of the building, jumped off the building, and fled into a neighborhood.
The suspect “appears to be college-aged” and blended in well with the college environment, Mason described.
In addition to the rifle, authorities collected a shoe print, a palm print, and forearm impressions that will be analyzed, Bohls said. The FBI has received more than 130 leads that are being"fully investigated."
Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck as he addressed a crowd at a university event. The conservative activist, who co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, had enormous influence in American politics and used his massive social media audiences to promote anti-immigrant policies, Christianity, and gun ownership.
The attack has raised fears of escalating political violence in the United States. President Donald Trump denounced the killing as “a dark moment for America” and vowed to take action against those responsible, suggesting that radical leftists had contributed to the crime by comparing Kirk to “Nazis and the worst mass murderers in the world.”
