Search for Attacker of Pro-Trump Activist Continues

The search for the alleged perpetrator in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, an ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, continues today in Utah without any arrests having been made.

The FBI released security footage showing a man dressed in black descending from the roof of a campus building and retreating along a nearby highway. The suspect is described as a white male wearing a cap, sunglasses, and a dark sweatshirt.

Trump Blames "Radical Left Lunatics"

The previous day, Trump blamed “the lunatics of the radical left” for the murder of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and his ally, who was shot during an event at Utah Valley University.

“We have a group of radical left lunatics out there, just absolute lunatics, and we're going to straighten that problem out,” he told reporters on Thursday outside the White House.

Details of the Attack

Kirk, who founded the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA when he was just 18 years old and played a crucial role in Trump's victory in the 2024 election, was on the campus of the public university answering questions from attendees when he was struck by a single, fatal shot fired from a rooftop.

The far-right activist was known for his opposition to abortion, his dismissal of the climate crisis, his rejection of transgender rights, his open advocacy for firearm ownership rights, and his support for the mass deportation efforts championed by Trump.

Investigation Update

The FBI published images of the suspected attacker the previous day and stated that the weapon used has been recovered.

Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Salt Lake City office, informed reporters at a press conference that the murder weapon is a “high-powered bolt-action rifle” that was “recovered in a wooded area toward which the shooter fled.”

Posthumous Honor Announced

Trump announced on Thursday that he will posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk. During a speech at the Pentagon on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks, he indicated that the date for the presentation ceremony will be announced later.