They killed Charlie... this is war

Vows of vengeance for MAGA campaigner's death, FBI finds rifle & ammo but sniper still at large

- CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN

THE FBI manhunt for the gunman who assassinated right-wing firebrand Charlie Kirk gathered pace last night, as the US lurched toward a new era of civil war.

Police said they had “good video” of the sniper, who blended in with students at Utah Valley University in Orem before climbing on to a rooftop and firing a shot that killed the conservative influencer at a Q&A session.

Investigators believe the killer arrived on campus at 11.52am, 40 minutes before Wednesday's horror. They said he appeared to be of college age and walked up stairwells to his shooting position.

Utah Department of Public Safety commissioner Beau Mason said: “We were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off and fled off the campus and into a neighbourhood.”

Investigators are scouring doorbell cameras. They recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle - said to be an older-model Mauser 30-06 dumped in nearby woods, along with foot, palm and forearm imprints.

Bullets, including a spent round in the firearm's chamber, were found.

According to a preliminary internal report, officials recovered ammunition said to be engraved with statements “expressing transgender and antifascist ideology”. It was stressed that the report had not been verified.