US authorities have launched a manhunt after the killing of right-wing youth leader Charlie Kirk, who was shot while addressing a crowd at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
The FBI confirmed the 31-year-old activist’s death was a “targeted event” and released images of a man they are seeking to identify. The individual, described as of university age, wore a black cap, dark sunglasses, jeans, and a top featuring an American flag design. A bolt-action rifle, believed to be the murder weapon, was later recovered in nearby woodland.
According to a report by BBC, the FBI is asking for public assistance in identifying the suspect and has announced a $100,000 reward for credible information.
Donald Trump, who credited Kirk with helping secure his 2024 return to the presidency, was the first to announce his death. Calling it a “dark moment for America,” he blamed left-wing rhetoric for fuelling political violence and pledged a strong response.
On Thursday, during a 9/11 memorial tribute, Trump hailed Kirk as “a giant of his generation” and confirmed he would posthumously award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The killing has heightened fears of political violence in the US, following Trump’s own narrow escape from an assassination attempt last year and the recent murder of a Democratic lawmaker. Utah’s governor, Spencer Cox, condemned the shooting as a “political assassination,” while students at the university expressed growing unease about voicing political opinions openly.
Vice-President JD Vance is expected to meet Kirk’s family in Utah after cancelling a scheduled 9/11 anniversary visit to New York.