Utah officials announced a breakthrough in the Charlie Kirk assassination case after seizing the firearm suspected to have been used in the attack and tracking the suspect’s detailed movements.
At a press conference on September 11 (local time), Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason reported that the suspect appeared on the university campus at 11:52 a.m. Surveillance cameras captured the individual moving onto the rooftop, then jumping to the other side of the building before fleeing into a nearby residential area, CNN reported.
Beau Mason stated that authorities have “high-quality video” of the person suspected of being the perpetrator. However, officials have not released it yet as advanced recognition technologies are still being applied.
“If these measures are not successful, we will seek assistance from the media and the public. But at this time, we are confident in our ability to identify the suspect,” Mason said.
Mason also revealed that the suspect “blended in quite naturally on the university campus” and appeared to be of college age.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that the firearm suspected of being used to shoot Charlie Kirk has been recovered.
Robert Bohls, the FBI agent in charge of the Salt Lake City office, said it was a manually loaded high-powered rifle, found in the forest where the shooter had fled. The weapon has been sent for forensic examination.
In addition to the firearm, authorities recovered shoe prints, handprints, and forearm impressions believed to belong to the suspect. All evidence will undergo forensic analysis to assist the investigation.
According to an FBI official, investigators believe the suspect is male. Agent Robert Bohls emphasized that the FBI received more than 130 tips from the public within 24 hours, all of which are being verified.
The manhunt for the perpetrator in the Charlie Kirk assassination remains urgent, as the American public continues to follow every new development closely.
Previously, at noon on September 10, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. He was the co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA and a close ally of former President Donald Trump.
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