FBI receives more than 130 tips
Officials have received more than 130 tips, as of this morning.
“I assure you that all leads and tips are being fully investigated,” said Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office.
He asked that anyone with video or images from the shooting submit them to the FBI.
As we just reported in the post below this one, officials have since released pictures of a “person of interest”.
FBI releases pictures of ‘person of interest’
Images have been released of a “person of interest” in the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s killing.
The FBI released a statement along with the images.
They say: “We are asking for the public’s help [in] identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.”
FBI officials in the Salt Lake City office didn’t say the person pictured is the suspected gunman.
Trump plans to speak to Kirk’s family today
Donald Trump has told reporters he plans to speak to Charlie Kirk’s family today.
He described Kirk’s wife Erika as a “wonderful woman”.
“You don’t replace Charlie Kirk,” he said.
“He was unique, as you all know, as well as I do, he was a unique man, but we’ll do the best we can.”
‘Foreigners’ who ‘glorify violence’ not welcome in US, says State Department
Donald Trump’s deputy secretary of state has warned “foreigners” will not be welcome in the US if they are spotted “making light” of Charlie Kirk’s death online.
In a social media post, Christopher Landau vowed to “take action”.
Here’s what he said:
“In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.
“I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalising, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action.
“Please feel free to bring such comments by foreigners to my attention so that the State Department can protect the American people.”
Landau does not clarify what particular group “foreigners” refers to.
He also didn’t mention what “taking action” against people would actually look like – and whether that could include deportation.
Our Data & Forensics team has identified there was a distance of 130m between the suspected shooter and Charlie Kirk when he was shot.
We’ve already broken down what images taken at the event show of that suspect figure on a rooftop – see our 12:08 post.
Here, video footage takes us through what we can see step by step…
Kirk warned of ‘globalist menace’ in Asia debut days before death
Days before he was shot dead in Utah, Charlie Kirk warned of a “globalist menace” while speaking in Tokyo.
The right-wing activist had launched his first tour of Asia in recent weeks and returned to the US to speak at several universities (see our 12.35 post for more).
He first travelled to South Korea’s capital Seoul, where he appeared at Build Up Korea 2025, a conservative conference that has previously featured speakers including Donald Trump Jr.
Then he moved on to Tokyo, where he spoke at an event hosted by the Sanseito party, which made its political breakthrough in July, warning of a “silent invasion” of immigrants.
“I’m excited… to learn and to hopefully invigorate the people of your great nation to keep fighting this globalist menace,” Kirk said in an interview with a Sanseito politician, posted on YouTube before the event.
The party’s leader Sohei Kamiya said he was “stunned and heartbroken” at the news of Kirk’s death in a post on social media, calling him a “comrade committed to building the future with us”.
Mother of man released after FBI interview says her son was a Kirk fan
The mother of a man who was interviewed by the FBI in the shooting and later cleared has said her son was at the Charlie Kirk event because he admires him.
Juliette Qureshi told our US partner network NBC News that her son Zachariah “went to a Turning Point leadership conference in Detroit”.
Zachariah told his family he was about 25ft away when the shooting occurred, and “he was unsure initially if the noise was a firecracker”.
“For a second, it was unclear if it was part of the event,” Qureshi said. “They rushed him away.”
She said her son told the family that Kirk fell out of his sight and that he didn’t see any blood.
After her son’s name was linked publicly to the shooting, she said threats were made against him online – something the FBI backed up in an update earlier this afternoon
Qureshi said they are “devastated for Charlie Kirk’s family”.
Trump to award Charlie Kirk the presidential medal of freedom
Donald Trump is up on stage in Virginia, speaking at the 9/11 anniversary memorial event.
He starts by paying tribute to Charlie Kirk, saying he will be awarding him the presidential medal of freedom.
“Before we begin, let me express the horror and grief so many Americans at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk have felt,” he says.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife, Erika, and his beautiful children.”
Trump says “we miss him greatly” and adds that he has no doubt his voice and “the courage he put into the hearts of countless people will live on”.
Hegseth: ‘Charlie Kirk, we love you’
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth speaks first at the 9/11 anniversary event in Arlington, Virginia – using his address to pay tribute to the victims of the terror attack and the soldiers who joined the US army afterwards.
Towards the end of his speech, Hegseth mentions Charlie Kirk alongside young soldiers, police officers and firefighters, saying:
“The life, example and even death of Christ follower, an American patriot, Charlie Kirk gives me hope.
“No matter the arena, Charlie, we love you.
“We know that you have heard the Lord’s words.
“Well done, good and faithful servant, full heart, clear eyes.”
Analysis: Video at centre of investigation – and FBI’s confidence is telling
The FBI talked about confidence before they finished giving updates to their investigation – see the posts below this one for more on that.
This suggests they have good video to identify the suspect, our US correspondent James Matthews has said.
“They were able to say it was a male and of college age, so to make that statement tells me that they have seen quite a lot of the individual concerned,” he said.
But Matthews explained that until they find out who was responsible or question him, they won’t know the motive first-hand.
“They’ll be looking for footage that shows a vehicle, perhaps, and then the search extends,” he said.
“That’s where they are at the moment, they seem confident.”
Watch Matthews’ breakdown in full below…
Everything we know about suspect after FBI briefing
The FBI briefing in Utah has just finished.
Here’s everything we learned about the suspect:
The suspect is still on the run but is thought to be of “college age” and was confirmed to be male;
Authorities have found a gun, a “high powered bolt action rifle”, which is being sent to the lab for analysis;
Alongside that, they found an “impression of a palm print and forearm imprints”;
The FBI has images and video of the suspect, but does not know where they are or how far they’ve gone;
Authorities were also able to trace the suspect’s movements – arriving on campus and then leaving after the shooting;
It was suggested that images of the suspect may be released if authorities remain unable to find him;
And two people of interest who police previously spoke to, and later released, have received threats.
Authorities have images of suspect – but don’t know how far he’s gone
FBI agent Robert Bohls offers a few more details on the suspect.
The authorities don’t know how far he’s gone – or where.
Bohls says, however, that the FBI does have images of his face and suggests they may be released in the future.
Throughout the briefing, which comes to an end, officials have referred to the suspect as “he”, the first confirmation that they’re male.
Suspect ‘of college age’ and officers ‘not sure how far he’s gone’
Beau Mason says the suspect “appears to be of college age”.
He tells reporters that the suspect “blended in well with a college institution”.
“We are confident in our abilities to track that individual,” he adds.
“If we’re unsuccessful in identifying them immediately, we will reach out for the public’s help and the media’s help in pushing those photos.”
Mason reiterates “we are doing everything we can to find him” but adds “we’re not sure how far he has gone yet”.
Check our post at 12:08 for analysis of the suspected shooter’s movements.
The weapon suspected of being used in the shooting has been found.
FBI agent Robert Bohls, speaking second at the news briefing in Orem, Utah, says: “I can tell you that we have recovered what we believe is the weapon that was used in yesterday’s shooting… is a high-powered bolt action rifle.
“That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled. The FBI laboratory will be analysing this weapon.”
Bohls adds that they also found an “impression of a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis”, however the shooter remains at large.
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, is speaking first at the news briefing.
He starts by first summing up the events of the shooting and saying that Charlie Kirk died in hospital after being shot.
Mason adds that after the individuals they interviewed were released, they faced threats.
“We ask the public to patient, these individuals are not suspects, they were people of interest,” he says.
He then outlines the movements of the shooter.
Mason says:
“We were able to track the movements of the shooter starting at 11:52 am.
“This subject arrived on campus shortly away from campus.
“We have tracked his movements onto the campus through the stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof, to a shooting location.
“After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building and fled, off of the campus and into a neighbourhood.”
The FBI is about to give an update on the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s killing in Orem, the Utah city where he was shot.
We expect to hear from the FBI special agent in charge of the investigation and the Department of Public Safety commissioner.
US politician calls on social media sites to remove videos of Utah shooting
A US politician has called on social media sites to remove videos of Charlie Kirk’s shooting.
The incident in Utah took place in front of a crowd of around 3,000 people, with cameras capturing what happened.
Videos of Kirk being shot in the neck, and the aftermath, have since been shared widely.
Republican representative Anna Paulina Luna described them as “horrifying videos”, adding that for his family’s sake they should be removed.
She went on to say: “These are not the only graphic videos of horrifying murders circulating – at some point, social media begins to desensitise humanity. We must still value life. Please take them down.”
Police audio reveals potentially important clues around shooter’s appearance
A newly-released recording of police radio captures the moment authorities were alerted to the shooting.
Police first mention the shooting at 12.26pm, around six minutes after it took place.
“…reported one individual that was shot, unknown where the shooter went,” an officer says.
“That’s the advice: UVU [Utah Valley University] in Orem has an active shooter at the Charlie Kirk event.
“We’re getting several calls, we’re trying to get more information.”
The remainder of the recording illustrates the confusion of the first moments after the shooting, as police attempt to locate and apprehend the suspect.
At 12.31pm, a female police officer gives additional information: “Gunshots heard near the library at UVU. They’re trying to lock the library down now.”
UVU’s Fulton Library is a building 400m from the place where the fatal shot was fired.
It is not clear if the police were referring to a different library.
At 12.35pm, the officer adds: “…maybe the CS building, it’s just east of the library.
“He’s wearing jeans, black shirt, black mask, long rifle.”
The CS building, or Computer Science building, is located to the immediate north-east of the shooter’s position, and is connected to it by a 66m gangway.
At 12.36pm, the female officer continues: “…is on top of the building on the far north side, just east of the library.
“Wearing jeans, black shirt, black vest.”
Again, it’s unclear what building the officer is referring to, though the description of the suspect’s clothes and weapon are likely to prove important as the investigation continues.
Credit: SkyNews.com
