Law enforcement officials on Thursday said the assassin who killed Charlie Kirk is believed to be college-aged, and that investigators recovered a weapon potentially used to shoot the conservative activist during his speaking event at Utah Valley University a day earlier.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said agents found a “high-powered, bolt-action rifle in a wooded area where the shooter had fled.”
The agency said the gunman was not in the woods when they searched it, but did gather footwear impressions, palm prints and forearm prints for analysis. The weapon’s origin is also being investigated by the FBI.
Rifle cartridges recovered by investigators were engraved with “transgender and anti-fascist ideology,” according to an ATF email obtained by multiple news outlets.
Authorities said the assassin blended in with the college crowd at the university when the suspect arrived at 11:52 a.m. and accessed a rooftop overlooking Mr. Kirk’s event.
The killer fired a single shot that hit the political influencer. The suspect then jumped to another building and fled.
SEE ALSO: ‘Out of control’: Charlie Kirk assassination blamed on growing left-wing violence
Mr. Kirk died at a hospital shortly after suffering a gunshot wound to the neck.
Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said officials have “good video” of the suspect.
“We are not going to release that at this time,” Mr. Mason said. “We’re working through some technologies and some ways to identify this individual.”
“If we are unsuccessful, we will reach out to you as the media and we will push that publicly to help us identify them. But we are confident in our abilities right now,” he said.
As he left a 9/11 memorial service Thursday at the Pentagon, President Trump said the manhunt was in full swing.
“We’ll see what happens. But we hope we get him,” Mr. Trump said.
SEE ALSO: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk killed by gunman at college event
Authorities detained two people of interest Wednesday shortly after the lone shot sent a crowd of thousands into a panic, but both were later released after being interrogated by police.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.