Orem, Utah (AP) – Palm Print. The impression of the shoes. And a powerful rifle found in a wooded area. They are one of the clues laid out when they asked for the help of the people to find the assassinated person Conservative activist Charlie Kirk Before it fell off the roof of the University of Utah campus and disappeared.
The search continued early on Friday almost two days later.
On Thursday, federal investigators and state officials released a series of photos and videos of people believed to be responsible. Kirk was attacked when he spoke to a crowd gathered in the courtyard of Utah Valley University in Orem.
Authorities said it has more than 7,000 leads and tips intensive. However, authorities have not cited or cited suspects the motives for killing, the latest act of political violence to unlock the United States.
“We can’t work without the help of the public,” Gov. Spencer Cox said he didn’t speak to FBI director Kash Patel at a press conference Thursday evening.
The direct appeal for public support, including newly enhanced photographs of hat-wearing people, sunglasses, long-sleeved black shirts and backpacks, appeared to signal the ongoing struggle of law enforcement. The two people who were detained shortly after the shooting were detained and detained were deemed unconnected.
Other clues included a Mauser .30 caliber bolt-action rifle found in a forest towel. The used cartridges were recovered from the chamber and three other rounds were loaded into the magazine, according to information circulating among law enforcement and written by the Associated Press. Weapons and ammunition were being analyzed by law enforcement in federal labs.
Authorities are offering a $100,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. Cox said he was ready to seek the death penalty.
Greasey Videos Shared Online
When Kirk spoke about social issues, the attacks that took place during the day were Scary videos spreading on social media.
The video shows Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters and spoke to a handheld microphone when a shot suddenly rang. Kirk reaches out with his right hand as blood gushs out from the left side of his neck. Surprised audiences took their breath and screamed before people could escape.
Authorities say the shooter, who believes investigators have blended into the campus crowd for their “college” appearance, fired a single shot from the rooftop. A video released Thursday showed them walking in the grass and across the street before disappearing.
“I can say this was a targeted event,” said Robert Balls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.
Trump joined Democrats in criticism violenceHe said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which US Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife Usha visited with Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City on Thursday afternoon. Vance posted memories of X, recording their friendship dating back to their first message in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.
“Many of the success we had in this administration will trace directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” writes Vance. “He didn’t help win in 2024, he supported staff across the government.”
Kirk’s cas flew in Air Force 2 from Utah to Phoenix. It is based there by his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. No details have been announced.
Kirk was asking questions about gun violence.
Kirk was a conservative provocateur. He became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a university campus preparedness, where he occasionally invited Vehimento discussions on social issues.
Kirk had been asking questions from members of the audience, so that such a provocative exchange took place just before filming. Gun violence.
The discussion hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first destination for Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour.”
This event produced a polarized campus response. An online petition seeking university administrators to appear in Kirk has received nearly 1,000 signatures. Last week, the university issued a statement citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to freedom of speech, intellectual investigation and constructive dialogue.”
Last week, Kirk posted an X-picture in a news clip showing his visit was causing controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”
Participants barricaded in the classroom
Some participants bolted after running into two classrooms full of gunshots. They used tables to barricade the doors and protected themselves in the corner. Someone grabbed the electric pencil sharpener, wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to the legs of the chair.
On campus Thursday, the canopy, which was engraved with the slogan Kirk, commonly used at his event, stood “the proof is wrong.”
Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near campus, said she was locked in the door and staying inside.
“That was a concern because the shooter hadn’t been caught yet,” Murphy said.
Meanwhile, the shooting continued to be drawn out Fast bipartisan condemnation Democrat officials joined Trump and other Republican Kirk’s allies and denounced Kirk’s attack. This unfolded during a surge in political violence that touched various ideologies and representatives from both major political parties.
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Tucker and Richer reported from Washington. Nicholas Riccardi, an Associated Press author in Denver. Michael Beezecker, Brian Slodisco, Lindsay Whitehurst, and Michelle L. Price. Ty O’Neill of Orem, Utah. Harry Golden of Seattle. Meg Kinnard of Chapin, South Carolina contributed to this report.
