Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason (R) stood alongside FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls during a press conference in Orem, Utah, on September 11, 2025, to provide updates on the search for the suspect who fatally shot political activist Charlie Kirk.
Officials confirmed Thursday morning that the suspect remains at large, one day after the shooting at Utah Valley University’s campus. However, investigators reported that they recovered what is believed to be the murder weapon.
“This morning I can tell you that we have recovered what we believe is the weapon that was used in yesterday’s shooting. It was a high-powered bolt-action rifle,” said Special Agent Robert Bohls, who leads the FBI’s Salt Lake Field Office. The weapon was found “in a wooded area where the shooter had fled” near the campus.
The FBI also discovered a “footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints” that are being analyzed by forensic experts. Bohls noted that the bureau has received over 130 tips connected to the case so far.
Commissioner Mason urged the public to remain patient and to refrain from harassing individuals interviewed by investigators, emphasizing the difference between a “person of interest” and a suspect.
Mason explained that authorities tracked the shooter’s movements to the rooftop of a building on campus, from which he jumped and “fled off of the campus into a neighborhood.” Investigators are asking nearby residents to share any information or doorbell camera footage that may help identify the suspect.
“We do have good video footage of this individual,” Mason said. “We are not going to be releasing that at this time.” He added that if efforts to identify the suspect fail, the FBI will release the footage to the public.
“We will not stand for what happened yesterday,” Mason declared. “We are exhausting every lead. We have every officer invested in this, every investigator, every local agency. The outpouring of support for the law enforcement community has been astounding.”
Authorities said the suspect “appears to be of college age” and blended in easily with the crowd. The investigation is ongoing, and the FBI has requested that anyone with photos or videos from the incident submit them to the bureau.
