Assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University: the FBI Releases Suspect Photos and Seeks Public Assistance

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released photos on Thursday of the suspect in the assassination of American political activist Charlie Kirk, known for his support of President Donald Trump and Israel, who was shot by a sniper during a public event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

The bureau requested citizens' help in identifying the killer, who is believed to have jumped from the roof of one of the buildings and fled to a nearby residential area after carrying out the act, according to official statements.

Authorities revealed that a handgun was found at the scene, which is likely to have been used in the sniper attack, while preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect is a college-aged young man who managed to blend in among students on campus before executing the attack.

Robert Bowles, the FBI's senior agent in Salt Lake City, stated that "the event was clearly targeted," referring to the assassination as politically planned and directed, amid rising politically motivated violence in the United States.

Kirk died from a gunshot wound that lodged in his neck while delivering a speech to thousands of students, in an incident that sparked a wave of shock and anger in conservative circles, prompting President Donald Trump to announce that he would award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in his honor.