The intensive search for the individual who took the life of , the prominent founder of the conservative youth advocacy organization Turning Point USA, is now in its second day.
By Thursday morning, over 15 hours following Kirk’s during an appearance at Utah Valley University, no individuals had been apprehended.
During a press conference held on Thursday morning, Beau Mason, Commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, provided an update on the investigation’s progression.
Mason reported that the assailant reached the vicinity of the campus shortly before Wednesday noon and was observed using stairwells to access a campus rooftop, subsequently escaping into an adjacent residential area. Mason noted that while authorities possess “good video footage” of the suspect, it will “not be made public at this time.” Investigators are collaborating with residents in surrounding neighborhoods to obtain doorbell camera recordings and pursue the suspect.
Robert Bohls, FBI Special Agent in Charge, added that investigators have located what they presume to be the firearm used in Kirk’s killing—a high-powered rifle discovered in a “wooded area” close to the suspect’s escape route. Bohls further mentioned that a footprint and forearm imprint are being examined. The motive behind the crime remains unknown.
Since the shooting occurred, the FBI has received a total of one hundred and thirty leads.
“We will not tolerate the events of yesterday. We are pursuing every possible lead, with every officer committed to this effort. Every investigator, every local agency is involved,” Mason declared during the press conference.
Law enforcement officials Wednesday evening indicated that authorities had detained two people in connection with the incident, only to be released later.
“Neither of these individuals has any current connection to the shooting,” the Utah Department of Public Safety confirmed in a statement.
Around 8 p.m. ET, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that an individual previously taken into custody hours before “was released subsequent to an interrogation by law enforcement.”
Patel posted on X, “Our inquiry persists, and we will keep providing information for the sake of transparency.”
Prior on Wednesday, Utah Valley University released a statement claiming a suspect was in custody; however, a university spokesperson later informed the New York Times that officials had concluded the individual was not the assailant.
The FBI stated Wednesday night that it was “collaborating with our local and state law enforcement counterparts in Utah to thoroughly investigate and pursue justice,” adding that “any individual with information, photographs, and video from the event can assist the FBI in uncovering further details.”
The shooting of Kirk, which took place approximately 20 minutes into his address to an audience of about 3,000 at the Orem, Utah university, has intensified concerns regarding an increase in political violence within the U.S. This incident has elicited censure from prominent individuals across the political spectrum. Certain conservative figures—such as President Donald Trump, a confidant and supporter of Kirk—have attempted to on the political left, even though no perpetrator has yet been named.
