Charlie Kirk Assassination: FBI Shares Photos of Suspect and Murder Weapon Found
US authorities have released photos and footage of a man wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, along with details of the weapon believed to have been used.
Kirk, a 31-year-old author, broadcaster and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot dead on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, around 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. The attack, which Trump called a «heinous assassination», occurred in front of 3,000 people during Kirk’s campus debate series titled Prove Me Wrong.
Suspect Captured on CCTV
Officials said the gunman arrived shortly before the event began and climbed onto a rooftop overlooking the crowd. Security footage showed a figure in dark clothing, including sunglasses, a baseball cap and a long-sleeved shirt emblazoned with a bald eagle and US flag, moving through stairwells before firing a single round that struck Kirk in the neck as he answered a question on mass shootings. Panic erupted among the audience as the gunman fled.
The FBI has offered a $100,000 reward for information and published grainy images of the suspect. Additional photographs released by Utah officials gave a clearer view of the man’s backpack and Converse trainers. Investigators also released video of the suspect climbing down from the rooftop, leaving behind fingerprints and DNA traces, before crossing into nearby woods where a high-powered bolt-action rifle was later recovered.
Public Appeals and Federal Involvement
Utah Governor Spencer Cox urged the public to come forward, saying investigators had already received more than 7,000 tips and carried out over 200 interviews. FBI Director Kash Patel travelled to Utah for a briefing but did not speak publicly.
The killing sparked condemnation across the political spectrum. Trump announced that Kirk would posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honour. Vice President JD Vance cancelled a planned trip to New York to mark the September 11 attacks and instead travelled to Utah to support Kirk’s family, later accompanying them and his casket to Arizona aboard Air Force Two.
Legacy and Political Impact
Kirk, co-founder and president of Turning Point USA, was in the midst of a multi-campus «American Comeback Tour» when he was shot. He was widely credited with energising younger Republican voters and was considered a leading voice in US conservative politics. Vance described him as central to shaping the current administration, noting Kirk’s organisational influence stretched far beyond campaigning.
Kirk leaves behind his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their two young children. Trump said he had spoken with Frantzve, describing her as «absolutely devastated».
