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Videos posted to social media showed Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone at Utah Valley University when a single shot rings out.
WASHINGTON — Contrary to earlier reports from university officials, authorities now confirm that the suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is still at large. Initially, it was stated that an arrest had been made.
President Donald Trump confirmed that Kirk, 31, died after the shooting Wednesday.
According to an Associated Press source, the individual apprehended following the shooting at Utah Valley University is not considered to be the actual suspect involved in the incident.
Who shot Charlie Kirk?
It’s not yet known who the suspected shooter was, as of Wednesday at 5 p.m. Eastern.
Utah Valley University spokesperson Scott Trotter released a statement to multiple media outlets saying the suspect is not yet in custody.
The mayor of Orem, Utah, David Young, says the shooting suspect remains at large.
However, authorities are not telling people to shelter in place.
“On September 10, 2025, at 12:20 p.m., a shot echoed across the quad near the food court on Utah Valley University’s Orem Campus just as Mr. Charlie Kirk commenced his planned rally. We confirm Mr. Kirk was shot, but his condition remains unclear. The suspect has not been arrested. Police are actively investigating, and the campus will remain closed for the day,” authorities stated.
An early announcement by the university suggested a suspect had been caught. Footage circulating on social media depicted an older man being taken into custody, but an AP source indicates that this individual is not believed to be the shooter.
Social media videos show Kirk addressing the crowd with a handheld microphone beneath a tent adorned with slogans like “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.”
Suddenly, a single gunshot is heard, and Kirk appears to reach for his neck with his right hand. Observers can be heard gasping and screaming as panic ensues and people begin to flee the scene.
A rash of political violence in the US
The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum.
The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April.
The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.
President Donald Trump survived two assassination attempts in 2024, including one where a bullet whizzed by the then-candidate’s ear at a rally in Pennsylvania. That shooter was killed by a Secret Service sniper as Trump was moved to cover.
Another accused would-be-assassin was arrested by Secret Service agents near where Trump was golfing in Florida shortly after, before any shots were fired.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
