Zachariah Qureshi Detained as a Suspect in Charlie Kirk Shooting, Later Released

Zachariah Qureshi Detained as a Suspect in Charlie Kirk Shooting, Later Released

OREM, Utah — At approximately 12:20 p.m. MST on Wednesday, political commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking at a student-sponsored event at Utah Valley University (UVU).

Emergency responders rushed to render aid, and Kirk was transported to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

The Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the FBI are co-leading the investigation with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, and local law enforcement.

Authorities confirmed that George Hodgson Zinn was initially detained but later released. Zinn was charged with obstruction for unrelated conduct. A second individual, Zachariah Qureshi, was also taken into custody for questioning but released after investigators determined he had no connection to the attack.

The shooter remains at large. Preliminary findings indicate the gunfire came from the roof of a nearby campus building overlooking the student courtyard, where roughly 3,000 attendees had gathered.

The FBI has established a digital media tip line at fbi.gov/UtahValleyShooting, urging the public to share photos, videos, or other evidence. Multiple active crime scenes are under review by the State Crime Lab and federal partners.

UVU Police deployed six officers alongside Kirk’s private security team, but officials describe the incident as a targeted attack.

The UVU campus will remain closed for the rest of the week. Authorities urge anyone in distress to call 988, Utah’s mental health crisis line.

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