As the murderer of Charlie Kirk remains at large, federal authorities announced on Thursday morning that they are beginning to glean a clearer picture of who the person may be.
Investigators have uncovered what they believe to be the firearm used to kill Kirk, 31, as he sat hundreds of yards away on the campus of Utah Valley University near Salt Lake City. FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls made the announcement during a press conference on the university’s campus.
The weapon “is a high-powered bolt-action rifle. That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled. So the FBI laboratory will be analyzing this weapon. Investigators have also collected footwear, the impression of a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis,” Bohls said.
From where he was positioned, some authorities believe the individual may have been able to escape miles away by the time officers were able to surround him.
“We are not sure how far he has gone,” Bohls admitted.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason confirmed that the shooter appeared to be of “college age” and was able to blend into the campus following the ensuing chaos.
Footage obtained by authorities shows the shooter climbing to the roof of the building where he fired the fatal shot. He then jumped from the roof and fled to a nearby neighborhood.
Also Read : Manhunt For Charlie Kirk’s Killer Continues
Additional details released Thursday indicate that the shooter arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m. local time and shot Kirk about 30 minutes later, Fox News reported. Bohls and Mason said they have obtained “good video footage” of the killer and expressed optimism that they will be able to identify the individual quickly.
“We are working through some technologies and some ways to identify this individual,” Bohls said, appealing to the media for their help.
“But we our confident in our ability right now, and we would like to move forward in a manner that keeps everyone safe.”
Footage described at the press conference shows the individual “dressed in all dark clothing.”
“The only information we have on the suspect, the possible shooter, is taken from closed-circuit TV here on campus,” Mason continued.
“We do have that. We’re analyzing it. But it is security camera footage, so you can kind of guess what the quality of that is,” he added. “But we do know, dressed in all dark clothing. But we don’t have a much better description other than that.”
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called the shooting “the very definition of terrorism.”
“The person who shot Charlie Kirk sought to silence him, using violence to take away his freedom of speech by ending his life and to terrorize those who think like Charlie into silence. This evil act is the very definition of terrorism: an unlawful use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political or ‘religious’ aims,” she wrote in a lengthy post on X.
