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A memorial ceremony took place for Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed in Utah, at the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, on September 10, 2025. — Reuters
– Authorities have obtained video footage of the suspect, but it has not yet been released.
– The FBI confirms that two individuals initially detained are not involved.
– Former President Trump attributes the violence to radical left-wing groups and promises a comprehensive response to the incident.
The suspect responsible for shooting and killing 31-year-old conservative figure Charlie Kirk remains at large Thursday. Law enforcement officials have secured video images of the suspect and recovered a high-powered rifle used in the attack.
Kirk, a prominent figure on the Republican right known for his role in influencing Donald Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign, was shot while speaking to a large audience at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The FBI described the shooting as a targeted act, sending shockwaves through a nation already divided politically six months into Trump’s second term.
Law enforcement confirmed the suspect fled into nearby woods and remains at large. “We’re doing everything possible to locate him, but we’re unsure of his current whereabouts,” FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls stated during a briefing.
Officials have obtained high-quality images of the shooter, who appears to be of college age. “We have good video footage of this individual, but we’re choosing not to release it at this time,” said Beau Mason, head of Utah’s Department of Public Safety. The presumed weapon—a high-powered bolt-action rifle—has also been recovered from a wooded area where the suspect fled.
Two people who were initially questioned in connection with the shooting have been released after authorities found they were not involved.
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In a reflection of the event’s political sensitivity, it was former President Trump who first publicly announced Kirk’s death, describing the moment as a “dark chapter for America” in a video message shared on social media. Without official identification of the shooter or motive, Trump blamed left-wing extremists for inciting violence and vowed that his administration would track down everyone involved in this atrocity.
“Radical leftists have long compared Americans like Charlie to Nazis and notorious criminals,” Trump stated. “This kind of rhetoric fuels the terrorism we are witnessing. My administration will find every individual responsible for this heinous act.”
Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck while addressing the crowd, collapsing into his chair. Students at Utah Valley University recounted the chaos and expressed concerns over escalating political tensions nationwide.
“It makes me feel I should be cautious about sharing my political views,” said Samuel Kimball, a software engineering student.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, labeled the shooting a “political assassination.” Kirk, praised by supporters as a “martyr” of conservative values, wielded significant influence in U.S. political discourse. He co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to promote conservative ideals among youth and became a familiar face on television, leveraging his charismatic presence to advocate anti-immigration measures, Christian values, and gun rights, often sharing curated clips from college debates.
Recent months have seen politically motivated violence—including a Minnesota man’s killing of a Democratic lawmaker and her husband, and an attempted assassination of Trump during his campaign in July 2024. Vice President JD Vance was scheduled to visit Kirk’s family in Utah on Thursday, having canceled a trip to New York to observe the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
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