Unspent rounds found inside the rifle that authorities believe was used in the Charlie Kirk assassination were engraved with transgender and antifascist writing, according to an internal law enforcement memo obtained by the Wall Street Journal.
The weapon, which authorities described as a high-powered bolt action rifle at a Thursday morning press conference, was found wrapped in a towel with three unspent rounds of ammunition inside, the Journal reported. All three rounds had writing engraved on them.
Kirk was answering a question about mass shootings committed by transgender people when he was fatally shot.
The suspect, who remains at large, is believed to be college aged and was able to blend in well on the campus, Robert Bohls, Special Agent in Charge for the Salt Lake City field office, said at the press conference.
The FBI released a photo of the suspect Thursday afternoon, taken from a high quality video the bureau obtained, and asked the public for help in identifying the individual.
We are asking for the public's help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
1-800-CALL-FBI
Digital media tips: https://t.co/nHV0gdG0fu pic.twitter.com/oPqRCPk5NB— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) September 11, 2025
The suspect shot Kirk from a rooftop roughly 200 meters from the stage where he was taking questions from the audience. The suspect then climbed down from the roof and fled into a wooded area, eventually making it into a nearby suburban neighborhood, which officers are canvassing, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said.
President Trump announced Thursday morning that Kirk will posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump said of Kirk.
FBI director Kash Patel announced Wednesday evening that a person of interest had been taken into custody, but the FBI later released the individual following an interrogation. Earlier in the day, police arrested a suspect at UVU but the man was let go after it was determined he did not commit the murder.
Over 3,000 people came to UVU’s campus for Kirk’s event and six police officers worked it alongside Kirk’s personal security team, the school’s police chief said Wednesday.
Utah governor Spencer Cox (R) said Wednesday that Kirk was the victim of a “political assassination” and floated the possibility of the death penalty for the assassin.
Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck during a speaking engagement for his American Comeback Tour and later pronounced dead. He leaves behind his wife, Erika, and their two young children.
Kirk regularly attended college campuses to debate ideas with anybody who challenged him. His event at UVU was no different and Kirk was hearing a question about mass shootings in the moments before he was shot and killed.
A proponent of free speech, Kirk’s activist organization Turning Point USA became a fixture on college campuses during his 13 years leading it. His goal was to challenge left-wing bias on college campuses and persuade young people with dialogue and arguments.
He launched the activist group in 2012 at age 18 with Tea Party organizer Bill Montgomery. Kirk quickly developed an enormous online following due to his debate skills and willingness to challenge anybody to engage with his ideas. His podcast, the Charlie Kirk Show, was among the most popular right-wing podcasts. As executive director of Turning Point USA, Kirk routinely hosted conferences featuring leading conservative voices and Republican politicians seeking to ingratiate themselves with Kirk’s substantial audience.
Kirk was widely credited with helping the GOP improve its vote share among young people, especially men, in the 2024 presidential election. A recent example of Kirk’s influence was Governor Gavin Newsom’s (D., Calif.) decision to make Kirk the first guest on his new podcast.
Initially a Tea Party activist, Kirk became a leading advocate for Trump’s agenda and an outspoken Christian promoting marriage and family values. Trump led the chorus of tributes to Kirk from across the political spectrum and ordered American flags to be flown at half-mast until Sunday evening.