Matthew Wilson
Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while attending an engagement event with college students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The conservative activist was assassinated mid-conversation while under a tent in front of hundreds.
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What’s new: Now, authorities have new leads on his killer. Early Thursday, authorities shared several key details with media sites such as the New York Times. Here’s what we know so far about his shooter.
- Investigators have recovered the weapon they believed was used to kill Kirk. They found a high-powered, bolt-action rifle in a wooded area near the area. They believe the shooter ditched the weapon here while fleeing.
- The weapon had several prints, including a palm imprint.
- According to Beau Mason, Utah’s public safety chief, authorities “have good video footage of this individual.” They are attempting to use facial recognition software to track down the suspect, but will release footage if unsuccessful.
- Authorities believe the shooter is a male, who is around college age. Mason added, “We are confident in our abilities to track that individual.”
Authorities were able to track the shooter. They believe the suspect ran across the roof and jumped from the building before fleeing campus into the surrounding neighborhood. Police were able to track the suspect’s movements on campus, believing he arrived at 11:52 a.m. That’s a half an hour before the fatal shooting of Kirk.
Officials Speak Out About Charlie Kirk Shooting
Officials speak out: Rober Bohls, of the FBI, says the organization is investigating more than 100 tips.
- “Any attack on the First Amendment is an attack on the very foundation of our democracy,” he said. “That is why we will relentlessly pursue this case and the shooter until we find him.”
Meanwhile, Mason said that they are exhausting every lead to find the killer.
- “We are exhausting every lead, we have every officer invested in this, every investigator, every local agency. The outpouring of support for the law enforcement community has been astounding. We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual.”
Following his death, there’s been an outpouring of support for Kirk and his family.
