The FBI has release images of a “person if interest” in their hunt for a “college-age” gunman who killed right-wing US influencer Charlie Kirk.
They asked for the public's help in identifying the man, as they offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the killer's arrest.
They are the first images law enforcement has released of an individual they believe may be involved in Mr Kirk's death.
Federal agents said earlier that they found a high-powered rifle in the woods after Kirk was shot dead at Utah Valley University.
Officials have also obtained footwear, palm and forearm prints of the suspected killer.
The gunman is believed to have fled Utah State University, where the Turning Point USA founder, 31, was speaking, into a neighbourhood.
At a press conference several hours before the FBI special agent Robert Bohls revealed they do not believe the local community is at risk.
Beau Mason, commissioner for Utah’s Department of Public Safety Commissioner, said the investigation has made "a few breakthroughs", including being able to track the suspect’s movements.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, President Trump confirmed he had spoken to Kirk’s family and said his wife Erika was “devastated”.
When asked about how he feels about his own safety, Trump said he was “not really” concerned.
"I'm really concerned for our country. We have a great country, but a radical left group of lunatics out there," he said. "We're going to get that problem solved."
Speaking about the gunman, Trump said: "Hopefully we'll have him, and we'll deal with him very appropriately."
The killer is understood to have arrived near campus at 11.52am local time. He then climbed stairwells up to the roof and across the roof to the Losee Center, just 130 meters from where Kirk was fatally shot with a single bullet in the neck while speaking to students at the university’s courtyard at around 12.20pm.
Investigators on Thursday morning recovered "what we believe to be the weapon that was used in yesterday's shooting" — a bolt-action rifle — in a wooded area where authorities believe the suspect fled.
Mr Mason added that he spoke to Mr Kirk's wife Erika. "The family is devastated” he said. "I can only imagine what they're going through.”
He went on to say: "I can't overstate the tragedy and the horrific event that yesterday was.”
Mr Mason said the suspect "blended in well with the college institution", before stressing: "We're not releasing many details right now. We will soon.”
Announcing his death, US president Donald Trump said he was “filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk”.
He added: “Charlie inspired millions and tonight all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror. Charlie was a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loved so much, the United States of America.
READ MORE: Who was Charlie Kirk and what do we know about his killing?
TO MY GREAT FELLOW AMERICANS… pic.twitter.com/oRsrE5TTHr
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2025
“He fought for liberty, democracy, justice, and the American people. He’s a martyr for truth and freedom, and there’s never been anyone who was so respected by youth.
“Charlie was also a man of deep, deep faith. And we take comfort in the knowledge that he is now at peace with God in heaven.
“Our prayers are with his wife, Erika, their two young beloved children, and his entire family, who he loved more than anything in the world. We ask God to watch over them in this terrible hour of heartache and pain.
“This is a dark moment for America.”
The hunt for the gunman continues after two people were arrested before being released. Authorities do not believe they are connected with the shooting.
Authorities are searching for a person of interest, according to reports.
A statement by the Utah Valley University said shots were fired from a building about 200 yards (182 metres) away.
"At about 12:20 shots were fired from a building about 200 yards from the speaker. To the best of our knowledge, the individual was hit and was taken away immediately by his security personnel," it said.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said: “This is a dark day for our state. It's a tragic day for our nation.
“I want to be very clear, this is a political assassination.”
In footage shared online, Mr Kirk can be seen moving his hand toward his neck after being shot as he falls off his chair, sending the attendees running, as people in the crowd scream and run from the scene.
The influencer, a key member of the Maga movement, was at the university at the start of 15-event “American Comeback Tour” with Turning Point USA, his non-profit organisation championing conservative politics in schools, colleges and university campuses.
Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin confirmed in a post on social media that Mr Kirk’s wife Erika and their two children were present at the event.
Vice President JD Vance, paid tribute, writing: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.”
My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 10, 2025
It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband.
We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear - there can be no justification for political violence.
The murder of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy, and a sign of the utter desperation and cowardice of those who could not defeat him in argument. Charlie Kirk has been killed not for espousing extremist views - because he didn’t. He has been killed for saying things that used to be…
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) September 10, 2025
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also paid tribute, writing: “My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk. It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband.
“We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear - there can be no justification for political violence.”
Former PM Boris Johnson also sent his condolences. In a post on X, he said: “The murder of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy, and a sign of the utter desperation and cowardice of those who could not defeat him in argument.
“Charlie Kirk has been killed not for espousing extremist views - because he didn’t. He has been killed for saying things that used to be simple common sense.
“He has been killed because he had the courage to stand up publicly for reasonable opinions held by millions and millions of ordinary people both in the US and Britain. The world has a shining new martyr to free speech. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.”
Mr Kirk and Turning Point, the largest conservative youth organization in the country, played a key role in driving young voter support for Trump in November’s election that saw the US President return to the White House.
His events at college campuses nationwide typically drew large crowds. He often used such events, typically drawing large crowds of students, to invite attendees to debate him live. Before he was shot, Mr Kirk was sitting at what he calls a "Prove Me Wrong" table to field questions from the audience.
"WE. ARE. SO. BACK. Utah Valley University is FIRED UP and READY for the first stop back on the American Comeback Tour," Kirk wrote on X ahead of the event. Video showed him throwing his hat into the crowd as the event started.
After winning a second term, Trump credited Kirk for mobilising younger voters and voters of colour in support of his campaign during a rally in Phoenix in December.
"You had Turning Point's grassroots armies," Trump said. "It's not my victory, it's your victory."
Kirk had 5.2 million followers on X and hosts a popular podcast and radio program, "The Charlie Kirk Show.", which according to NBC News, is being downloaded between 500,000 and 750,000 times each day. He has also recently co-hosted "Fox & Friends" on Fox News.
He was part of an ecosystem of pro-Trump conservative influencers, including Jack Posobiec, Laura Loomer, Candace Owens and others who have helped to amplify the president's agenda.
Mr Kirk frequently attacked mainstream media and engaged in culture war issues around race, gender and immigration, often in a provocative style.
While the motive for the shooting is unknown, the United States is undergoing its most sustained period of political violence since the 1970s.
In July 2024, Trump was grazed by a gunman's bullet during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania. A second assassination attempt two months later was foiled by federal agents.
In April, an arsonist broke into Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence and set it on fire while the family was inside.
Earlier this year, a gunman posing as a police officer in Minnesota murdered state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband and shot Senator John Hoffman and his wife. And in Boulder, Colorado, a man used a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to attack a solidarity event for Israeli hostages, killing one woman and injuring at least six more.
Both Republican and Democratic politicians paid tribute to Mr Kirk following his death.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he is "heartbroken" and "outraged", calling his death an "assassination". "Charlie Kirk's commitment to America's future generations and sense of patriotism will resonate for decades to come," he said.
"Political violence is NEVER acceptable," Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, said on X. "My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family."
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X, "Please join us in praying for our good friend, Charlie Kirk."
Former US President Joe Biden offered his condolences to Mr Kirk’s amily in a post on social media.
"There is no place in our country for this kind of violence," he wrote. "It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones."
