The Daily Star Ireland
The FBI has released images of a “person of interest” connected to the fatal shooting of prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed during a university event in Utah earlier this week.
Officials from the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office emphasized that the individual pictured is not confirmed as the shooter but may hold critical information. The agency published two photos showing a figure in a baseball cap, dark sunglasses, and casual attire, and appealed for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual.
A $100,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest.
The Shooting in Orem
Kirk, 31, was speaking at an outdoor “Prove Me Wrong” event at Utah Valley University in Orem, attended by roughly 3,000 people, when a single gunshot struck him. The attack, captured on video and rapidly shared online, has been described by Utah Governor Spencer Cox as a “political assassination.”
According to investigators, the assailant arrived shortly before the event began, climbed stairwells to access a nearby rooftop, and fired one round with a high-powered bolt-action rifle. Afterward, the suspect leapt from the roof and escaped into a neighboring community.
Authorities later recovered the rifle in a wooded area close to campus and are analyzing it for forensic evidence, including palm prints and footprints.
Manhunt and Investigation
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said the shooter “blended in well” with the university crowd and appeared to be of college age. State Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason added that the gunman’s behavior suggested careful planning.
Despite quickly locating the weapon, authorities are still working to track the suspect, with federal and local teams scouring the area.
National Shock and Political Reactions
Kirk, co-founder and president of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, was taken to a local hospital but later pronounced dead. His death sparked bipartisan outrage in Washington and condemnation of political violence from leaders abroad.
Governor Cox warned that targeting someone “because of their ideas or their ideals” undermines the very foundation of American democracy and free speech.
Vice President JD Vance canceled his planned trip to New York for 9/11 memorial events to instead travel to Utah and meet with Kirk’s family, underscoring the national impact of the killing.
Charlie Kirk’s Legacy
Kirk rose to prominence as a teenager advocating conservative ideas and went on to become one of former President Donald Trump’s closest political allies. Over the past decade, he built Turning Point USA into a major conservative youth organization and hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, expanding his influence into talk radio and digital media.
By the time of his death, he had amassed millions of followers online and built close ties with members of Congress, media figures, and the Trump administration. Vice President Vance, reflecting on Kirk’s role in the movement, noted that they had been in multiple private group chats together, illustrating Kirk’s influence within the conservative ecosystem.
