Charlie Kirk's killing: FBI releases suspect's photos, announces $100,000 reward

The shooter who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk and then vanished off a roof and into the woods remained at large more than 24 hours later on Thursday (September 11) as federal investigators appealed for the public's help by releasing a pair of photos of the person believed responsible.

Investigators obtained clues including a palm print, a shoe impression, and a high-powered hunting rifle found in a wooded area along the path the shooter fled.

But they had yet to name a suspect or cite a motive in the killing they were treating as the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States across the ideological spectrum.

Photos of suspect

The photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses, and a long-sleeve black shirt, as well as a USD 100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, suggested that law enforcement thought tips from the public might be needed to crack the case.

Two people who were taken into custody shortly after Wednesday's shooting at Utah Valley University were later released, forcing officials to chase new leads on a separate person of interest they pursued on Thursday.

Also Read: Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and Trump's ally, shot dead

One clue was a Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle found in a towel in the woods. A spent cartridge was recovered from the chamber, and three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. The weapon and ammunition were being analysed by law enforcement at a federal lab.

The shooting

The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues from a university courtyard, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.

The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out.

The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a “college-age” appearance, fired a single shot from the rooftop where they were perched before jumping off.

Also Read: Who was Charlie Kirk? Trump supporter and activist shot dead in Utah

Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.

“With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.

On campus on Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events “PROVE ME WRONG” stood dishevelled.

(With agency inputs)