Charlie Kirk shot dead in Utah: FBI releases photos of person of interest after suspected shooter’s rifle found in nearby woods — follow live updates

As he left the White House en route to tonight’s New York Yankees-Detroit Tigers game in the Bronx, President Trump told reporters that he plans to attend Charlie Kirk’s funeral, which he expects to take place next weekend in Arizona.

“They’ve asked me to go, and I think I have an obligation to be there,” Trump said.

The president also expressed confidence in the law enforcement officials searching for Kirk’s killer, insisting that they’re “making great strides.”

“They’re very talented people,” Trump said. “Let’s see what happens. We hope they can do it soon.”

The New York Times reported Thursday afternoon that FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, are traveling to Utah to “more directly oversee the manhunt,” citing two people familiar with their plans.

CNN reported around the same time that “additional security measures” will be in place at Yankee Stadium for Trump’s visit, including screening at all entrances and stepped-up protection around the president’s box.

After originally planning to stay overnight at Trump Tower in Manhattan, the president will reportedly stay instead at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club, which is considered “an extremely secure facility,” according to CNN.

The manhunt for Charlie Kirk’s shooter is still underway, but investigators have gathered several pieces of evidence from the shooting at Utah Valley University yesterday.

• The FBI released photos of a “person of interest” and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the shooter.
• Officials described the suspected shooter as a male who “appears to be of college age” and “blended in well” with students, according to campus security footage.
• Authorities were able to track the suspected shooter’s movements using campus security footage, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said Thursday morning. The suspected gunman arrived near the campus before noon and went up to a building’s roof, which was the “shooting location.” After the shooting, authorities said the gunman “moved to the other side of the building, jumped off the building” and ran off the campus into a nearby neighborhood.
• A high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered in a “wooded area where the shooter had fled,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said. Law enforcement believes this was the shooter’s weapon.
• Investigators also uncovered a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm imprints, all of which are being analyzed by the FBI.

Vice President JD Vance has just landed at Salt Lake City International Airport and will taxi to the adjacent Roland Wright Air National Guard base, where a hearse recently arrived by police escort.

Multiple news outlets are reporting that Vance is planning to transport Charlie Kirk’s casket on the vice presidential plane from Utah to Arizona, where Kirk lived with his family and where his Turning Point USA organization is headquartered.

CBS News reported earlier Thursday that Vance and second lady Usha Vance will travel with Kirk’s family and some of his friends back to Arizona.

Fox News reported that Air Force Two will “likely” land in Phoenix on “Thursday night.”

Kirk befriended Donald Trump Jr. in recent years and pushed for President Trump to choose Vance as his 2024 running mate.

“When I became the VP nominee — something Charlie advocated for both in public and private — Charlie was there for me … constantly calling and texting, checking on our family and offering guidance and prayers,” Vance wrote in a lengthy online tribute late Wednesday night. “Charlie Kirk was a true friend.”

Former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was shot in an assassination attempt in 2011 and has since become a gun violence prevention advocate, says she is mourning for Kirk’s family.

“I didn’t agree with almost anything he said, but he had a right to speak,” Giffords wrote in an op-ed published by Time magazine on Thursday. “Just as he had a right to go on a work trip and return safely to his wife and two young children at home in the state we share, Arizona.”

In her essay, Giffords also cited the attempted assassination of President Trump last year and the shooting death of Melissa Hortman, the former speaker of the Minnesota State Legislature, her husband and their dog in June.

“Our stories are unique, but what Charlie Kirk, President Trump, Melissa Hortman and I all have in common is that someone who wanted to kill us had a gun,” Giffords wrote.

“We can and should talk about political violence, and its toxic relationship to political rhetoric,” she added. “We can and must talk about social media’s role in these moments. We all, as individual Americans, need to do a better job considering our words and their impact. But anyone who responds to preventable tragedies like this — tragedies that over time begin to erode the very fabric of our country — by refusing to face the problem of gun violence and crime head-on is missing the point.”

Graphic footage of Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting still continues to circulate on social platforms. In response, a TikTok spokesperson told the New York Times Thursday that the platform is “committed to proactively enforcing our community guidelines,” which involves bans on gory and disturbing content.

TikTok has set up “additional safeguards to prevent people from unexpectedly viewing footage that violates our rules,” the spokesperson said.

Florida Rep. Anna Luna publicly called on X owner Elon Musk, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok to “remove the horrifying videos” of Kirk.

“At some point, social media begins to desensitize humanity,” Luna wrote. “We must still value life. Please take them down.”

As graphic videos of Charlie Kirk’s shooting death continue to spread online, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson joined the chorus of voices on Wednesday raising the alarm about the potential dangers of such “content.”

“One of the things that I really worry about is [that] iPhone cameras are everywhere now,” Johnson said on MSNBC.

Johnson went on to note that the Abraham Zapruder film — silent, 8mm footage shot by a local Dallas businessman that unexpectedly captured John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination — was “kept in a closet for years” until it was first broadcast on network television in 1975.

“But now, less than 24 hours after the assassination,” Johnson continued, the video of Kirk’s killing has probably “been viewed by tens of millions of Americans, including young Americans.”

“Is it desensitizing us?” asked host Katy Tur.

“It’s desensitizing us,” Johnson replied. “That’s what I’m concerned about.”

TikTok says it has set up “additional safeguards to prevent people from unexpectedly viewing footage that violates our rules.” YouTube says it has removed “some graphic content” related to the event — if presented without sufficient context — and barred minors or users who are not signed in from seeing certain videos. And Meta — the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and Threads — typically applies warning labels to graphic clips, but has no plans to further limit access to videos of Kirk’s shooting.

In a lengthy statement posted to Charlie Kirk’s X account on Thursday, Turning Point USA mourned the loss of its 31-year-old leader.

“Every one of us at Turning Point USA is crushed and devastated by the hateful murder of our founder and guiding light, Charlie Kirk,” the post began. “All of us have lost a mentor, a leader, and a friend.”

The organization, which Kirk cofounded in 2012, called him “the ideal husband and the perfect father” and asked people to pray for his wife and two children.

“Charlie was no stranger to threats,” the statement continued. “He received thousands throughout his life. But he always prioritized reaching as many young Americans as possible over his own personal safety. Now, Charlie has become America’s greatest martyr to the freedom of speech he so adored.”

“Although Charlie is gone, his legacy will endure,” the group added. “None of us will ever forget him.”

Kirk’s last post on X before his death called for the politicization of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was stabbed to death aboard a Charlotte, N.C., train last month. President Trump has called for the death penalty in the case. The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., was charged this week with “committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system,” which could make him eligible for the death penalty.

“If we want things to change, it’s 100% necessary to politicize the senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska,” Kirk wrote. “Because it was politics that allowed a savage monster with 14 priors to be free on the streets to kill her.”

European and Asian leaders have sent President Trump messages of condolences regarding Charlie Kirk, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Republican strategist Scott Jennings on his radio show Thursday.

“Charlie was very much a part of this family and maybe the highest profile MAGA person outside of those that are working here,” Wiles said, the Associated Press reported. “I think it shook everybody to their core.”

Kirk’s influence appears to have resonated beyond the U.S. In France this morning, Charlie Weimers — a member of the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists organization (ECR) — proposed European Parliament hold a moment of silence in Kirk’s honor, Politico reported.

However, EU President Roberta Metsola rejected the bid because requests must be announced at the beginning of the general assembly session, which started on Monday, a spokesperson told Politico.

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting on Wednesday, Americans at both ends of the political spectrum have taken to social media to express their feelings, offer prayers and share their thoughts. A communications staffer with the Carolina Panthers, as well as several educators and other employees at various institutions across the U.S., have now either been fired, placed on leave or put under investigation for insensitive posts or comments on social media that praised or made light of Kirk’s death.

Fired:

• Arizona: A Suns writer at PHNX Sports
• North Carolina: A Carolina Panthers communications staffer
• Oklahoma: An employee at Heritage Hall, a private prep school in Oklahoma City
• Tennessee: An assistant dean at Middle Tennessee State University

Placed on administrative leave:

• South Carolina: A teacher at Southside High School in Greenville County

Under investigation:

• Iowa: A teacher in the Creston Community School District
• Florida: A teacher at Ridgeview Elementary School
• Oklahoma: A Sand Springs middle school teacher

MSNBC has fired one of its paid contributors for suggesting on the air that Charlie Kirk’s “hateful words” led to his killing.

During an appearance on “Katy Tur Reports,” MSNBC senior political analyst Matthew Dowd said, “hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.”

“You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place,” he added.

Both Dowd and the network issued apologies.

“My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk,” Dowd wrote in a post on Bluesky. “On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind.”

Dowd is a former political analyst for ABC News who served as chief strategist for George W. Bush’s 2004 presidential campaign.

“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable,” MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler said in a statement on Wednesday night. “We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”

MSNBC said on Thursday that Dowd is “no longer with the network.”

A news conference from the FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety that was originally planned for 2:45 p.m. ET (12:45 p.m. MT) Thursday afternoon has been delayed due to what an official ca “rapid developments in the investigation.”

Authorities said they would provide an updated time for a press briefing later Thursday.

The search for a suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk entered a second day on Thursday. The FBI released images of a person of interest and asked for help from the public, offering a $100,000 reward for information that could lead to the identification and arrest of the person of interest.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library announced it had postponed a planned book signing event hosted by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro “as a mark of respect” to Charlie Kirk. The event was scheduled to take place at 9 p.m. ET yesterday.

“The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is saddened to hear of events that took place today at Utah Valley University,” a statement on the event page states. “Our prayers are with Charlie Kirk’s family and friends. As a mark of respect, we are cancelling our program and book signing with Ben Shapiro this evening.”

Shapiro said on X that he was “heartbroken and sick to my soul” after hearing the news of Kirk’s death. The two first met in 2012 and grew into well-known conservative influencers with an overlapping fanbase. Shapiro had recently been a guest on Kirk’s podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, in an episode that dropped on Tuesday.

According to the event statement, a new date for Shapiro’s book signing will be “announced shortly.”

Within minutes of Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting at Utah State University on Wednesday, graphic footage of the attack spread rapidly online. Videos of the shooting were shared on every major social media platform, racking up millions of views.

In a post on X Wednesday, Rep. Anna Luna, a Republican from Florida, called on X owner Elon Musk, Facebook founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok to remove them.

As Associated Press television critic David Bauder pointed out, traditional media outlets were largely careful not to show the explicit imagery. But on social media, there was little if any caution.

“Newspapers and television networks have long been accustomed to ‘gatekeeping’ when it comes to explicit content — making editorial decisions around violent events to decide what images and words appear on their platforms for their readers or viewers,” Bauder wrote. “But in the fragmented era of social media, smartphones and instant video uploads, editorial decisions by legacy media are less impactful than ever.”

Authorities will hold a press briefing this afternoon in Orem, Utah, around 12:45 p.m. local time (2:45 p.m. ET) to provide an update on Wednesday’s fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, according to a media release.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls and Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason are expected to appear. It will be livestreamed on the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Instagram page.

While the manhunt continues for the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting, FBI agents were scouring a wooded area near Utah Valley University on Thursday.

Members of the FBI’s forensics team were tagging evidence in a cordoned-off section near the school.

At a press conference earlier on Thursday, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said that authorities recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle from a wooded area near the university. It’s not clear whether the agents were searching the same wooded area.

On campus, members of the forensics unit were also seen cataloging evidence near a ladder on the side of a building.

The FBI on Thursday offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible for Wednesday’s fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. Those with information are encouraged to contact the agency at 1-800-CALL-FBI, and they can submit photos and videos at the link here.

While leaving the 9/11 memorial service at the Pentagon this morning, President Trump told reporters that he did not know more about the FBI investigation into Charlie Kirk’s shooter than what has already been made public.

“They have a virtual manhunt out there, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. “But we hope we get him.”

Comedy Central pulled a South Park episode from its broadcast schedule that pokes fun at Charlie Kirk.

It’s the second episode of the show’s current season that originally aired on Aug. 6. It shows one of the lead characters copying Kirk and challenging progressive students on college campuses to debates, which is similar to what Kirk was doing at Utah Valley University yesterday when he was shot.

Kirk had called the episode “hilarious” in a TikTok response in early August.

“We have a good spirit about being made fun of,” Kirk said in a TikTok response. “This is all a win. We as conservatives — we have thick skin, not thin skin. You can make fun of us, it doesn’t matter.”

Comedy Central has not publicly commented about pulling the episode from the air. It is still available to stream on Paramount+.

The FBI has released two photos of a person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday, asking for the public’s help in identifying the person.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit digital media tips at https://www.fbi.gov/UtahValleyShooting.

The State Department issued a warning for foreign visa applicants and holders that it will “undertake appropriate action” against foreigners in the U.S. who are “praising, rationalizing, or making light of” the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau wrote in an X post on Thursday. “I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action,” he said, adding that he welcomes people to bring such comments to his attention.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told reporters outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday that she had rescheduled two events planned for this weekend, citing security concerns and out of respect for Charlie Kirk, NBC News reported.

“I was supposed to have a rally in North Carolina this weekend. I have rescheduled it,” she said.

Ocasio-Cortez explained that her team tries to hold all events indoors after the assassination attempt on President Trump last year.

“Even this weekend, prior to what happened, we had decided on maintaining an indoor event because the nature of escalation has been gradually increasing for quite some time,” she said. “After yesterday’s event, we’ve postponed.”

President Trump said he plans to speak with the family of Charlie Kirk this afternoon and told reporters that Erika Kirk, Charlie’s wife, is “a wonderful woman.”

Erika Kirk, a former Miss Arizona and host of her own podcast, started dating Charlie in 2018, and the couple married in 2021. Erika appeared at events with her husband and discussed her Christian faith and how it shapes their marriage and family. Along with his wife, Charlie Kirk is survived by a son, 1, and a daughter, 3.

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said at a Thursday morning press conference, “Last night I communicated with Erika. The family is devastated. As commissioner of public safety, as a father, as a husband, I can only imagine what that family is going through.”

Witnesses who called 911 after Charlie Kirk was shot on Wednesday described seeing a person on campus in “jeans, black shirt, black mask” and carrying a “long rifle,” the Associated Press reported. One caller said the person was also wearing a black vest.

Authorities on Thursday said the shooter “appeared to be of college age.” Law enforcement also said they recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle from a nearby wooded area, which they believe belonged to the shooter.

Vigils were held across the country on Wednesday to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot at an event at Utah Valley University earlier in the day.

As seen in the photos below, people gathered outside Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem, Utah, where Kirk was taken after he was shot and later died. Others gathered outside Turning Point USA headquarters, in Phoenix, to pay their respects to the cofounder of the conservative youth organization. People also gathered in Seattle, at Westlake Center, to honor Kirk, including Pastor Russell Johnson, who knew Kirk personally.

Congressional Democratic leaders have called for unity on Thursday morning in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries were asked for their reaction to President Trump blaming the “radical left” for Charlie Kirk’s death in a 4-minute video released on Truth Social late Wednesday.

“The bottom line is this is a time when all Americans should come together and feel and mourn what happened,” Schumer said. “Violence, which affects so many different people of so many different political persuasions, is an affliction of America. And coming together is what we ought to be doing. Not pointing fingers of blame,” he said.

Jeffries added: “This moment requires leadership that brings the American people together as opposed to trying to further divide us.”

Authorities have been able to track the suspected shooter’s movements using campus security footage, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said Thursday.

The shooter arrived near the campus at around 11:52 a.m. local time and traveled up stairwells to a roof, which was the “shooting location.”

After the shooting, security cameras showed, the shooter moved to the other side of the building, “jumped off of the building” and ran off the campus into a neighborhood, Mason said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that members of Congress have voiced concerns for their safety and are calling for heightened security measures following the fatal shooting of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday.

“We’re under a very thorough review of the existing options and how we might need to enhance that to ensure members’ security and safety,” Johnson told reporters Thursday morning. “It’s a big concern of all of them and their spouses back home and their families and everything. So there’s a cost associated with that.”

Johnson told CNN Wednesday evening that it’s “not a possibility” to provide all 435 House members with security due to it costing what’s estimated to be billions of dollars.

He said that members may start taking part in a “pilot program” ” that allows congressional members to hire personal security when traveling or holding events in their districts.

President Trump announced Thursday morning that he will soon award Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. The medal is considered the U.S. government’s highest civilian honor, and it’s awarded by the president to individuals to recognize a lifetime of significant achievements, including public service.

“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump said during a September 11th observance event in Arlington, Va. “Our prayers are with his wonderful wife Erika and his beautiful children.”

Trump said the date of the ceremony will be announced soon.

At the press conference, Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, said that authorities have clear images of the suspect from security footage they’ve collected but are choosing not to release them to the public.

“We have images of the suspect,” Bohls said when asked by reporters for more details about the footage.

Earlier, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said that investigators have collected “good video footage of this individual.”

“We are not going to release that at this time,” Mason said, adding, “We are working through some technologies and ways to identify this individual. If we are unsuccessful, we will reach out to you in the media to push out publicly to help us identify them.”

Authorities have received more than 130 tips as of Thursday morning, said Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, at the press conference.

“I assure you that all leads and tips are being fully investigated,” he said.

Bohls asked the public to submit any footage or images of the shooting to the FBI. The FBI’s digital media tip line can be accessed here.

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason asked the public to stop harassing the two persons of interest who were cleared as suspects yesterday and who have said they’ve faced scrutiny and threats.

“We ask the public to be patient with the investigative process,” Mason said Thursday. “These individuals were not suspects; they were people of interest. We ask that you do not impose into those people and that investigative process. They don’t deserve that harassment for being subject to that.”

Federal and state law enforcement officials offered new details about the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s shooting:

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said the suspect was a male of “college age.”

Mason said he “blended in well” with students at Utah Valley University, where the shooting took place.

Officials were able to track the suspect’s movements using security cameras.

He arrived on campus shortly before the event where Kirk was speaking and went to the roof of a nearby building, officials said.

Mason said they have good footage of the suspect but are not yet releasing it.

Authorities recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle in a wooded area near the university, Robert Bohls, the FBI special agent in charge, said Thursday morning. They believe this is the weapon that was used to kill Charlie Kirk.

“That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled,” Bohls said.

An FBI lab will be analyzing the weapon.

At a joint press conference Thursday morning, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said Kirk’s body was moved to the state office of the medical examiner overnight.

“We will continue to facilitate his movements today to get him home with his family,” Mason said.

Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance will visit Charlie Kirk’s family today in Salt Lake City, the Washington Post reported.

Vance was originally scheduled to travel to New York City to attend the annual 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero.

In a post on X late Wednesday, Vance eulogized Kirk, describing him as a “true friend.”

“When I became the VP nominee — something Charlie advocated for both in public and private — Charlie was there for me,” Vance said, adding that his children struggled with the attention that drew and the security presence. “And Charlie was constantly calling and texting, checking on our family and offering guidance and prayers.”

FBI officials are expected to hold a press conference shortly to give an update on their investigation into the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk.

Per the Associated Press, the news conference will include FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls and Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason.

In a four-minute video taken at the White House and released on Truth Social late Wednesday, President Trump condemned Charlie Kirk’s killing, calling it a “dark moment for America.”

Trump, saying he was “filled with grief and anger,” praised Kirk as “a patriot who devoted his life to open debate and the country he loved so much.”

A search is underway for the shooter in the killing of prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Authorities say the gunman fired a single bullet from a nearby roof while Kirk, 31, was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday afternoon.

President Trump and politicians from both sides of the aisle quickly condemned the shooting.

Officials are scheduled to hold a press conference at 9 a.m. ET on Thursday.

Charlie Kirk became a national political figure when he was still a teenager. As the cofounder and public face of Turning Point USA, he quickly grew into one of the country’s most influential conservative voices. At the time of his death, he was a key ally of President Trump, who credited him with helping improve the Republican Party’s stan with America’s young voters.

Here’s a brief look at his life in photos.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced that a subject who had been taken into custody in connection with Charlie Kirk’s killing has since been released. Authorities had previously said that they had detained a person of interest in the case. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Patel was referring to the same person or someone else.

“Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era,” the health and human services secretary wrote in a post on social media.

Kennedy’s father, popularly known as RFK, was assassinated in 1968 while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination. His uncle, President John F. Kennedy, had been assassinated five years earlier.

In his post, the secretary referred to Kirk as a “dear friend” and a “relentless and courageous crusader for free speech.”

The FBI has set up a tip line for any information regarding the shooting. The form can be found here.

The school announced that all classes (including virtual ones), on-campus events and administrative operations are being postponed.

“We appreciate your understanding and invite the campus community to demonstrate exceptional care towards one another at this time,” four of the university’s administrators wrote in a public notification.

Students will have the opportunity to make up any coursework or tests that they miss, they wrote.

The campus was closed immediately after the shooting. The school instructed anyone who was still present to shelter in place and call the police in order to be escorted to safety.

During a press conference Wednesday, law enforcement officials said that Charlie Kirk’s “possible shooter” had been spotted on closed-circuit TV and had likely fired from a rooftop at long distance.

“The only information we have on the suspect — the possible shooter — is taken from closed-circuit TV here on campus,” said Beau Mason, the commissioner of Utah’s Department of Public Safety, adding that the low-quality security camera footage was currently being analyzed. “We do know [they were] dressed in all dark clothing, but we don’t have a much better description, other than that.”

Asked where the shot came from, Mason said, “Here on campus” before adding that it was “potentially … a longer-distance shot from a roof.”

Authorities are currently trying to “decipher” if the person of interest they’ve taken into custody is the same person spotted on the CCTV footage, Mason said.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox told reporters, “We have a person of interest in custody that is being interviewed right now,” but noted that authorities are still looking for anyone else with information related to the shooting.

During a press conference Wednesday evening, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox referred to Kirk’s death as a “political assassination.”

“This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation. I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination,” he said.

Cox continued, “Today, a life was taken. Charlie Kirk was first and foremost a husband and a dad to two young children. He was also very much politically involved, and that’s why he was here on campus. Charlie believed in the power of free speech and debate to shape ideas and to persuade people. … When someone takes the life of a person because of their ideas or their ideals, then that very constitutional foundation is threatened.”

Turning Point USA, the organization that Kirk cofounded in 2012 when he was 18 years old, said in a post on X that “Kirk has been murdered by a gunshot.”

“May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior, who suffered and died for Charlie,” Turning Point wrote in a social media post. “We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers.”

Kirk was speaking on the campus of Utah Valley University as part of Turning Point’s American Comeback tour when he was fatally shot.

Utah members of Congress are reacting to the news of Kirk’s death in statements posted to their X accounts.

Sen. Mike Lee sharply condemned what he called a “murder” as “a cowardly act of violence.”

“The terrorists will not win,” Lee wrote. “Charlie will.”

Others, including Rep. Blake Moore and Rep. Celeste Maloy, said they were devastated by the loss.

Erika Kirk, Kirk’s wife and the mother of his two children, is the founder of the BibleIn365 ministry and host of the Midweek Rise Up podcast.

Hours before the shooting, she posted this verse to X:

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered his condolences to Charlie Kirk’s family on behalf of himself and the state’s first lady. “Cecilia and I are heartbroken by the assassination and passing of Charlie Kirk,” Abbott, a Republican, wrote. “This senseless act of violence has no place in America.”

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that there is “no place” in America for “gun violence and political violence.”

Before Kirk’s death was confirmed, the Democrat offered her condolences on X, writing, “The scourge of gun violence and political violence must end. The shooting of Charlie Kirk is the latest incident of this chaos and it must stop. We cannot go down this road. There is no place for it in America and we wish for his recovery.”

Charlie Kirk was asked about U.S. mass shootings seconds before he was shot in the neck on Wednesday, videos circulating on social media show.

“Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America in the last 10 years?” a person asked Kirk. “Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk replied moments before he was shot.

Charlie Kirk was one of the most powerful voices in conservative media. He cofounded Turning Point USA in 2012, the day after he graduated high school. The organization’s mission is to promote conservative political ideals on America’s college campuses. His campus activism frequently led him into heated debates against liberal students, which were often captured on camera and celebrated by conservatives online.

Kirk was an early backer of President Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, earning himself a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention that year at just 23 years old. Turning Point USA has continued to grow alongside the MAGA movement. The group says it’s now represented at more than 3,500 colleges. Total revenue at Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action grew from $4.3 million in 2016 to $92.4 million in 2023.

At the time of his death, Kirk had more than 5 million followers on X and 3.8 million subscribers on YouTube.

Kirk claimed to have visited Trump at the White House “a hundred-plus” times during his first term and became part of a small group of loyal advisers when Trump returned to office earlier this year.

“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.

Conservative commentator and podcast host Ben Shapiro posted his reaction to the news of Kirk’s death on X, writing that he was “utterly stunned and heartbroken and sick to my soul”.

“I met Charlie Kirk when he was 18 years old, a young man so eager and determined that I immediately turned to a friend and said, ‘That kid is going to be the head of the RNC one day,'” Shapiro wrote on X, adding, “Charlie became even bigger and more important than that.”

Shapiro’s statement went on to say that “We must pick up the baton where Charlie left it, fighting for the things he believed in so passionately. And we must fight for a better America — an America where good people can speak truth and debate passionately without fear of a bullet.”

Shapiro had been a guest on Kirk’s podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, in an episode that dropped yesterday.

Former President Barack Obama shared his condolences on X. Obama condemned the “despicable act of violence” against Kirk, adding that it “has no place in our democracy.”

“We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children,” Obama wrote.

Actress and conservative Candace Cameron Bure is sharing her sorrow over the death of Charlie Kirk. On Instagram, the Full House actress posted a photo of Kirk with the words, “We love you Charlie. Well done good and faithful servant.” Bure captioned the post with three broken heart emojis.

Turning Point USA, the nonprofit Charlie Kirk started in 2012, sent out a letter to supporters and employees confirming its cofounder had died, according to a copy shared with CNN.

“It’s with a heavy heart that we, the Turning Point USA leadership team, write to notify you that early this afternoon, Charlie went to his eternal reward with Jesus Christ in Heaven,” the note said.

Turning Point USA describes its mission as helping to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government.” The youth organization holds conservative events and meetups at high schools and colleges all over the U.S.

President Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he is ordering “all American Flags throughout the United States” to be flown at half-stafft until 6 p.m. on Sunday in honor of Charlie Kirk, whom he called “a truly Great American Patriot.”

In a previous post in which he broke the news of Kirk’s death, Trump expressed his sympathy for Kirk’s family and wrote that “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”

On X, Donald Trump Jr. reposted the announcement from his father, President Trump, that Kirk has died.

“I love you brother,” Trump Jr. wrote. “You gave so many people the courage to speak up and we will not ever be silenced.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson led members of Congress in a moment of prayer in honor of Charlie Kirk and his family on the House floor Wednesday afternoon.

In an update posted to X, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he has spoken to President Trump and vowed to bring the shooter to justice.

The governor said he was “heartbroken” by news of Kirk’s death and is praying for his family.

Former President Joe Biden condemned the act of violence against Charlie Kirk in a post on X.

“There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now,” Biden wrote. “Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.”

No suspect has been taken into custody following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University, Orem Mayor David Young told the Associated Press.

A spokeswoman for the university confirmed to the New York Times that no one has been arrested and said that the FBI had joined local and state law enforcement to aid in the search.

The school had previously said that a suspect had been taken into custody shortly after the shooting, but later clarified that their initial report was mistaken. The university is still instructing people on campus to shelter in place and to call the police to receive an escort out of the danger area.

Actor Chris Pratt offered his prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family on social media. “Praying for Charlie Kirk right now, for his wife and young children, for our country,” Pratt wrote. “We need God’s grace. God help us.”

President Trump announced in a post on his Truth Social account that Charlie Kirk has died as a result of the shooting.

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote. “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

Witnesses are speaking out about what they heard and saw when Charlie Kirk was shot during an event on the campus of Utah Valley University earlier this afternoon.

Former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who was at the event, told Fox News that Kirk had been speaking for about 20 minutes when he was asked his second audience question, about “transgender shooters, mass shooters.” That’s when Chaffetz said he heard a shot and watched Kirk fall back

“I can’t say I saw him get shot, but as soon as that went out, he went back,” Chaffetz said. “A lot of people started screaming, and then everybody started running.”

Justin Hickens, who was also at the event, told NBC News he was standing about 20 yards away from Kirk when the shot was fired.

“We heard a big loud shot. I saw a bunch of blood come out of Charlie,” Hickens said. “I saw his body kind of kick back and go limp, and everybody dropped to the ground.”

Hickens said the audience started to run away, until many of them realized there weren’t any more gunshots being fired.

Raydon DeChene, who was also near the front of the crowd, told CBS News Kirk had specifically been asked about the recent shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school right before she heard “a pop.” DeChene said she saw Kirk grab his neck, fall back and then heard someone yell for the crowd to run.

There were a few police officers and security near Kirk, DeChene said, but no metal detectors had been used for audience members entering the space.

Current and former politicians on both sides of the aisle continue to condemn Kirk’s shooting.

Former Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney said he was “shocked and sickened.”

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the former Democratic House speaker, called it “reprehensible.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, called it a “horrific act of targeted violence.”

Utah Valley University has clarified that a suspect in the shooting has not been taken into custody, according to multiple news outlets. The university had initially said that someone was taken into custody immediately after Kirk was shot. That report was apparently mistaken.

“The suspect is not in custody. Police are still investigating. Campus is closed for the rest of the day,” university spokesperson Scott Trotter told a Utah-based newspaper Deseret News.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and former Democratic presidential candidate, condemned what he called a “horrifying act” of political violence.

President Trump’s elder sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump posted messages to X saying they were praying for him.

Charlie Kirk is being treated at a hospital and is in critical condition, the Associated Press reported, citing a law enforcement official. Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for Turning Point USA, confirmed to the New York Times that Kirk had been shot in the neck.

CBS News White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs said that a Turning Point USA official also confirmed that Kirk is at a hospital, but “it doesn’t look good.”

In a statement posted to X, former Vice President Kamala Harris said she was “deeply disturbed” by Kirk’s shooting, and that she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were praying for him and his family.

In a statement, Utah Valley University said it was locking down its campus, canceling classes and asking students to shelter in place:

Charlie Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University as part of Turning Point USA’s American Comeback tour of college campuses. The next stop was scheduled for Sept. 18 at Colorado State University.

According to the tour’s website, it was a free, ticketed event. It’s unclear exactly how many attendees were at the event or how many had registered for tickets.

The event was scheduled to begin around 12 p.m. local time. According to the university, Kirk was shot at approximately 12:10 p.m.

A number of videos circulating online, which Yahoo News has chosen not to share because of their violent content, captured, from several angles, the moment Charlie Kirk was shot.

In the footage, Kirk is sitting on a tall chair beneath a canopy in front of a large crowd in an open area of the Utah Valley University campus. Speaking into a microphone, he directs a question to a member of the crowd before a loud bang is heard. After being shot, Kirk slumps back in his chair before appearing to fall over to his side as the crowd reacts in shock.

The 31-year-old is a conservative activist who cofounded Turning Point USA, a nonprofit that advocates for conservative causes on school campuses. Kirk is a prominent supporter of President Trump. He spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention just days after Trump survived an attempted assassination at a political rally in Pennsylvania.

Trump often speaks highly of Kirk; for example, the day before Trump was sworn into the Oval Office for a second time, he told attendees at a campaign rally in Washington, D.C., “Charlie Kirk is here. And I want to thank Charlie. Charlie is fantastic. I mean, this guy.”

Trump also appeared at Turning Point USA rallies and town halls on the campaign trail last year.

“I want to express my tremendous gratitude to Charlie Kirk. He’s really an amazing guy. Amazing guy,” Trump said at a rally in Phoenix last October.

Kirk is married to Erika Frantzve and they share two young children.

Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, a Democrat from Arizona who was shot during an assassination attempt in 2011 and has since become a gun violence prevention advocate, condemned the shooting in a post on X.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he’s being briefed by law enforcement on the incident and will continue sharing updates with the public when they become available.

“Those responsible will be held fully accountable,” Cox, a Republican, said on X. “Violence has no place in our public life. Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act.”

In a post on X, Vice President JD Vance shared a message similar to Trump’s, describing Kirk as a “genuinely good guy and a young father.”

FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X that the bureau is “closely monitoring reports” and that agents will soon arrive on the scene.

“The FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation,” Patel said.