US officials have issued an urgent public appeal for help in the search for the shooter of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, releasing new videos and photos from the scene of the attack in Utah.
More than 24 hours after Kirk was shot while speaking in front of thousands at a Utah university, the state’s governor, alongside FBI director Kash Patel and other officials, urged, “we need as much help as we can get.”
“We cannot do our job without the public’s help,” said Utah’s governor, Spencer Cox, noting that the FBI has received over 7,000 leads.
Newly released video shows a person in a hat, sunglasses, and a black shirt running across a roof, climbing off the edge, and dropping to the ground. The suspect fled into the local neighborhood and has not been identified.
Clues found include a palm print, shoe impression, and a high-powered hunting rifle; investigators haven’t named a suspect or motive yet.
Authorities have not taken questions. Patel, the FBI director, did not speak at the news conference. The FBI is offering up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the individual.
Kirk’s close alignment with President Donald Trump drew renewed attention to the escalating threat of political violence in the United States, which has affected various ideologies. The assassination received bipartisan condemnation from political leaders.
Cox, the governor, noted that there is a considerable amount of disinformation online and advised ignoring it, emphasizing the need to find the killer and pursue the death penalty.
Kirk’s body arrived in his home state of Arizona aboard Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice-President JD Vance, with bipartisan support and calls for unity against violence.
The incident led to a call for national unity against political violence, with authorities and political figures from both sides expressing their condemnation and offering support to Kirk’s family.
