Nation
Manhunt intensifies for Charlie Kirk’s killer as authorities release new video
Authorities in Utah have renewed appeals for public assistance in tracking down the suspect who fatally shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, as investigators released new video showing the gunman fleeing the scene.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Thursday that the FBI has received more than 7,000 leads and tips since the killing, with investigators conducting nearly 200 interviews. “We cannot do our job without the public’s help right now,” Cox said, urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement.
The newly released footage shows the suspect running across the roof of a campus building before climbing down and escaping into a wooded area, where officials say they recovered the weapon. Investigators believe the suspect left palm impressions, smudges that could contain DNA, and a shoe print indicating he was wearing Converse sneakers.
Additional images circulated by authorities show the suspect in a black T-shirt emblazoned with an American flag and eagle, blue jeans, a baseball cap with a triangle, sunglasses, and a black backpack. “These are all identifiable items we’re asking the public to look for,” said Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason.
Separately, footage obtained by CNN and geolocated to a nearby residential street shows a person matching the suspect’s description walking toward the university shortly before the shooting. A student also reported seeing a man on the roof of the Losee Center, the same location where Kirk was killed, on two occasions in the past two weeks.
Officials said audio captured near the podium suggests Kirk was struck by a single supersonic round. Sources added that investigators found phrases referencing political issues scrawled on the recovered rifle and ammunition.
Cox confirmed that authorities are preparing to seek the death penalty once the suspect is apprehended. He also warned against foreign disinformation campaigns, saying online bots from Russia and China were attempting to inflame tensions following the killing.
The FBI and more than 20 law enforcement agencies are assisting in the search. Authorities acknowledged they have “no idea” if the suspect remains in Utah or has crossed state lines.
Kirk’s killing on Wednesday stunned the nation and sparked vigils across multiple states, from Utah to his home state of Illinois. President Donald Trump has announced he will attend the funeral in Arizona and posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“This kind of political violence has no place in our country,” Cox said. “We will find the person responsible and bring them to justice.”
