The FBI has released new images of a man they’re calling a “person of interest” in the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was gunned down Wednesday during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. No arrests have been made.
The blurry surveillance photos show a man wearing a long-sleeve black shirt with an American flag across the front. He has glasses, a backpack, jeans, and a hat. In one image, he’s seen ascending a staircase next to another person—possibly moments before the shot was fired from the rooftop of a campus building.
“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,” the FBI’s Salt Lake City office said in a public post.
Kirk, 31, was addressing a large crowd of students on transgender issues and gun violence when a single shot rang out. It struck him in the neck. He was rushed to the hospital by private vehicle, but was later pronounced dead. The news of his death was first made public by former President Donald Trump roughly two and a half hours after the shooting.
The shooter fired from an elevated position, with some footage online showing a figure lying prone on a rooftop about 200 yards away. Law enforcement has confirmed the shot came from a height, supporting witness accounts and cell phone footage that began circulating almost immediately after the attack.
Investigators tracked the shooter through stairwell surveillance footage leading to the roof. According to authorities, the gunman then escaped into a nearby wooded area, leaving behind a bolt-action rifle. That weapon—a .30 caliber hunting rifle—was reportedly recovered with custom-engraved bullets that read “transgender and antifascist ideology,” according to a law enforcement source speaking to The Wall Street Journal. The FBI has not commented on those details.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced late Wednesday that a suspect had been taken into custody—but hours later admitted that the person had been released and was no longer believed to be connected to the shooting. The announcement and quick reversal have raised serious questions about the pace and clarity of the investigation.
The man in the surveillance photos remains unidentified. Authorities are not calling him a suspect at this time, but they are urgently seeking information.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about the man in the photos to contact their Salt Lake City field office.
