The FBI released new surveillance footage and photographs Thursday of the suspect accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot just after noon on Wednesday during a campus event in Orem, Utah.
The FBI shared video showing the shooter sprinting across a rooftop, then leaping down and fleeing into a nearby neighborhood. Investigators recovered trace evidence from the rooftop, including shoe impressions, a forearm imprint, and a palm print. Authorities also found a high-powered bolt-action rifle and ammunition in a wooded area near the university, believed to be the murder weapon.
Earlier footage showed the suspect walking in a residential area with a noticeable limp, possibly caused by stashing the weapon in his pant leg. The suspect, described as a thin male wearing black sunglasses and a hat, arrived on campus around 11:52 a.m. He climbed to the rooftop overlooking the green space where Kirk spoke. Around 12:20 p.m., a single gunshot struck Kirk, who was addressing an audience of thousands.
President Donald Trump announced the suspect’s arrest early Friday. Speaking on Fox & Friends, Trump said, “With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” adding that someone close to the suspect, through a minister involved with law enforcement, turned him in. Trump expressed hope the suspect would be found guilty and receive the death penalty, calling Kirk “the finest person” who did not deserve this tragedy.
Kirk was shot while answering a question during his “American Comeback Tour.” Trump said he avoided watching the graphic videos, preferring to remember Kirk differently.