Image of ‘person of interest’ released after Kirk shooting

Suspected killer of Maga activist is believed to be of college age and 'blended in' with students on Utah campus, FBI said

- RHIAN LUBIN RACHEL DOBKIN ISABEL KEANE

Photos of a “person of interest” in the killing of Charlie Kirk were shared yesterday by the FBI as investigators continue their manhunt for the killer.

The right-wing activist and youth organiser, 31, was fatally shot in the neck during an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday.

Images released by the FBI showed a man wearing sunglasses, a baseball cap, and a black, long-sleeved shirt that appeared to have a photo of an American flag on it. An FBI press conference, scheduled for yesterday afternoon, was postponed due to “rapid developments”.

US president Donald Trump said he was “filled with grief and anger” at the killing and called it “a dark moment for America”. After attending a 9/11 memorial service at the Pentagon, he expressed his condolences. “You don’t replace a Charlie Kirk. He’s unique, as you all know,” added the president, who has himself survived two attempts on his life.

Authorities earlier said they recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle in a wooded area near the campus. Ammunition inside the rifle was engraved with messages of transgender and antifascist ideology, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a law enforcement bulletin and a source familiar with the investigation.

When asked about the alleged engravings, a spokesperson for the FBI told The Independent: “As this is an ongoing investigation, the FBI declines to comment.”

A senior law enforcement official told The New York Times that preliminary reports on the shooter's rifle “might turn out to have been misread or misinterpreted”.

The suspected gunman was still at large and unidentified, as FBI special agent in charge Robert Bohls said the shooting was a “targeted event.”