FBI released image of person of interest in Charlie Kirk shooting

Authorities said Thursday that the sniper who killed Charlie Kirk fired a single shot, then leapt from a rooftop and fled into a nearby neighborhood. Investigators have since recovered what they believe to be the weapon used — a high-powered, bolt-action rifle — and are reviewing video footage that tracks the suspected shooter.

Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said the gunman appeared to be of college age and blended in with the crowd on the Utah Valley University campus before carrying out the attack. The rifle was later discovered in nearby woods, which have now been secured by law enforcement.

Despite new information, officials admitted that many questions remain unanswered nearly 24 hours after the shooting, including the sniper’s identity, motive, and current location. Two individuals initially detained on Wednesday were released after being cleared of involvement. By Thursday, however, investigators said they were confident they had mapped the shooter’s movements leading up to the attack.

The FBI also released two photos of a person of interest, showing someone wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a long-sleeve black shirt. The Mauser .30 caliber rifle found wrapped in a towel had a spent round in the chamber and three more in the magazine. The weapon and ammunition are undergoing forensic analysis at a federal lab to gather possible clues.

Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot in broad daylight while addressing students on social issues in a campus courtyard. The killing has once again spotlighted the growing threat of political violence in the United States, drawing bipartisan condemnation but leaving the country divided on how to stop political grievances from escalating into deadly attacks.