The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Thursday confirmed that the bolt-action rifle used to kill US activist Charlie Kirk has been found, even as the hunt for the shooter remains underway.
Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative commentator and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The FBI said the recovered weapon will undergo forensic analysis, along with footprints and other physical evidence from the scene.
The FBI is working alongside our local and state law enforcement partners in Utah to fully investigate and seek justice in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Anyone with information, photos, and video from the incident can help the FBI identity more… pic.twitter.com/JEQ22lIwfv
— FBI (@FBI) September 11, 2025
Utah officials noted the shooter moved across a rooftop to take aim before escaping into a nearby neighbourhood. Authorities said they have clear video footage of the suspect, who appeared to be of college age and blended in easily with the campus environment.
The Utah Department of Public Safety vowed to catch the culprit, while investigators appealed to the public for assistance.
National Outrage and Political Reactions
The shooting, described by Utah Governor Spencer Cox as a “political assassination,” took place before a crowd of around 3,000 during Kirk’s event “Prove Me Wrong.” Kirk was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries hours later.
Former President Donald Trump condemned the attack, writing on Truth Social, “Charlie was a great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM! No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”
ALSO READ: Trump blames ‘radical left’ rhetoric for Charlie Kirk murder: ‘Will find each and every one’
Governor Cox defended the importance of political dialogue on campuses, stating, “When someone takes the life of a person because of their ideas or their ideals, then that very constitutional foundation is threatened.”
Vice President JD Vance, who cancelled a planned trip to New York for the September 11 commemoration, will instead travel to Utah to be with Kirk’s family. Reflecting on Kirk’s influence, Vance wrote, “So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organise and convene. He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”
Kirk’s death has sparked bipartisan condemnation of political violence across the United States and abroad.
