Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason released video footage of the suspect fleeing the scene at a press conference on 11/9 regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Security camera footage taken near Utah Valley University, next to a parking lot, shows the suspect running across the roof of the building, believed to be the location of the shooting.
The individual clings to the edge of the roof, jumps to the ground from a considerable height, then runs across the street towards a wooded area, carrying a long object wrapped in a bag or cloth, suspected to be the rifle used in the crime. Police later found the rifle in the woods.
The individual is wearing clothing and a baseball cap similar to the image of the suspect previously released by the FBI, who asked the public to report any sightings.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox urged the public to provide information to "catch this evil person," stating that the state will seek the death penalty if the case goes to trial.
Cox said authorities have received more than 7,000 tips from the public and conducted approximately 200 interviews in the past day to find clues about the suspect. He also cautioned the public about misinformation circulating online regarding Kirk's assassination.
"Our adversaries want more violence. There are a lot of fake accounts trying to spread misinformation and incite violence. Ignore them," he said.
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Diagram of the Utah Valley University campus where Charlie Kirk was assassinated while giving a speech. Graphics: GGE |
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspect. FBI Director Kash Patel appeared with the Utah Governor at the press conference but did not speak.
Earlier, state police and the FBI released 4 photos of a suspect in Kirk's assassination. The photos show the individual wearing a shirt with an American flag motif, a black backpack, and Converse shoes. Mason said these details could help the public identify and report the suspect.
James Gagliano, a former FBI supervisory special agent, told Fox that the suspect chose a sniping position in a building near a parking lot by the highway, a vantage point overlooking the stage where Kirk was speaking. The suspect could also easily escape the scene within minutes of firing the shot.
"Within three to five minutes of pulling the trigger, he could have been in a car and miles away. Provo Airport is only about 45 minutes away," he said, suggesting the perpetrator may have left Utah.
Retired US Army Sergeant Nicholas Ranstad, a former sniper, said the shot that killed Kirk was not technically difficult and showed no signs of a professional gunman.
"Some people are speculating that this was a professional hit. But at a distance of just over 150 meters, with a scope, it’s not a difficult shot," Gagliano agreed.
US authorities found additional shoe prints and palm prints at the scene but have not yet identified the suspect or established a motive. Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative political activist, died after being hit by a single shot to the neck.
Thanh Danh (Guardian, Fox, ABC)
