Law enforcement has obtained video footage of the person suspected of shooting and killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, tracked his movements leading up to and immediately following the assassination, and obtained what they believe was the murder weapon, a bolt-action rifle, authorities announced Thursday morning.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason announces that authorities have video of the assassin and have tracked their movements across campus. pic.twitter.com/jB8aXnblAs
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) September 11, 2025
Investigators have determined that the suspect, who "appears to be of college age," arrived near Utah Valley University at 11:52 a.m. and tracked him through campus, up stairwells, and onto and across the roof "to a shooting location," Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said.
"After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off the building, and fled off the campus and into a neighborhood," Mason said. "Our investigators have worked through those neighborhoods, contacting anybody they can with doorbell cameras, witnesses, and thoroughly worked through those communities trying to identify any leads."
Investigators also found a high-powered bolt-action rifle in the woods nearby, according to FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls. The older-model .30 caliber hunting rifle contained ammunition engraved with expressions of transgender and anti-fascist ideology, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing an internal law enforcement bulletin and a source familiar with the investigation. CNN, meanwhile, described the engravings as "cultural phrases."
Kirk was discussing mass shootings by transgender attackers when he was assassinated.
Justice Department officials cautioned the Journal that investigators were still examining the ammunition and that any findings were preliminary.
Mason also said investigators have "good video footage" of the suspect, but don't plan to release it immediately.
"We are working through some technologies and some ways to identify this individual," Mason said. If those efforts fail, he added, authorities will release the video to get help from the public in identifying the shooter.
Indeed, those efforts did fail, even after the FBI released several photos throughout the day, showing the suspect wearing dark sunglasses, a ball cap, a black t-shirt with an American flag on it, and jeans. Thursday evening, authorities released video of the suspect sprinting across a roof, dropping off the side of the building, and running across a grassy area next to a parking lot and into a wooded area.
Utah governor Spencer Cox said the state is preparing to pursue the death penalty.
We are asking for the public's help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
1-800-CALL-FBI
Digital media tips: https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) September 11, 2025
Kirk was shot in the neck Wednesday afternoon during one of his signature "Prove Me Wrong" sessions. Two suspects were taken into custody but were quickly released.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
