Washington: The FBI has released a photo of the suspect in the fatal shooting of Trump’s confidant Charlie Kirk, who was killed while addressing an event at Utah Valley University. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was rushed to hospital following the attack but later died of his injuries. His death has drawn widespread condemnation both in the United States and internationally.
In response, President Donald Trump ordered flags at government buildings, including the White House, to be flown at half-mast until Sunday. Trump also announced that Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
“No one understood the youth of the United States better than Charlie,” Trump wrote on social media. “Everyone, including me, loved him.” Vice President J.D. Vance also paid tribute, calling Kirk a close friend.
The FBI’s Salt Lake City field office released an image of the suspect—a man wearing a baseball cap, dark sunglasses, and casual clothing—and announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Authorities confirmed that a high-powered bolt-action rifle, believed to have been used in the attack, was recovered in a nearby forested area. Two individuals initially detained were later released without charge.
Utah Public Safety Chief Beau Mason said the suspect is believed to be college-aged. Investigators added that while security video of the incident exists, it is not being released publicly.
Footage of the shooting, however, has surfaced online, showing Kirk addressing the audience before collapsing after a gunshot to the neck. Investigators believe the shooter, dressed in black, fired from a rooftop overlooking the campus. Utah Governor Spencer Cox described the attack as a “political assassination.”
The killing has united condemnation across political lines. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom of California called it “abhorrent,” while world leaders including Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Hungarian President Viktor Orbán expressed condolences and described the murder as a blow to democracy.
Who Was Charlie Kirk?
Born in Illinois in 1993, Kirk gained national attention after founding Turning Point USA in 2012 at just 18 years old. The organisation sought to mobilise young Americans around conservative and Republican values, positioning Kirk as a central figure in campus politics. Since 2019, he had also hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, further amplifying his influence.
Kirk married Erica Francois, a former Miss Arizona, in 2021. Known for his staunchly conservative positions on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage, he argued that life begins at conception and that marriage is solely between a man and a woman. While his views sharply divided opinion, they solidified his role as one of the most influential and polarising voices among young conservatives in the United States.
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