FBI Recovers Rifle Used in Charlie Kirk Assassination, Investigating Possible Motive
OREM, Utah — Federal authorities say they have recovered the weapon believed to have been used in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
According to investigators, the rifle was located in a wooded area near the campus, consistent with the path believed to have been taken by the suspect while fleeing the scene. The firearm has been identified as a high-powered, imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows the shooter positioned on the rooftop of a building overlooking the student courtyard, where Kirk was speaking at the time. A single round was fired before the suspect leapt from the rooftop and escaped on foot into a nearby neighborhood. Witnesses described the individual as appearing to be of college age.
Authorities said the rifle was discovered wrapped in a towel. A spent cartridge remained in the chamber, while three live rounds were still in the magazine. Investigators noted that the cartridges bore engraved wording referencing transgender and anti-fascist ideology. These details are now part of the ongoing effort to establish a possible motive behind the shooting.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has initiated an emergency trace of the weapon, and leads are being pursued through the agency’s Salt Lake City field division. Both the rifle and ammunition have been transferred to the FBI Laboratory for DNA and fingerprint analysis.
The suspect remains at large as the investigation continues.
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