Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Wednesday in what authorities have described as a targeted assassination. The incident occurred around 12:20 p.m. MST at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah, where Kirk, 31, was speaking at an outdoor student event with an estimated 3,000 people in attendance.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS), Kirk was struck by a single bullet, believed to have been fired from a rooftop overlooking the courtyard. Shortly after the shooting, two people were arrested, but both were released following brief questioning after investigators found they had no connection to the incident. One of the men, George Zinn, was released but charged with obstruction by UVU police. A second suspect, Zachariah Qureshi, was also taken into custody and subsequently released.
As of Wednesday evening, no one remained in custody, and a manhunt for the shooter is ongoing. However, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press that investigators are now pursuing a new “person of interest.” Officials are canvassing neighborhoods with a photo of the individual, who was described as wearing dark clothing. The FBI has also set up a digital tip line to gather information from the public.
The assassination has been widely condemned by political figures. Utah Governor Spencer Cox called it a “political assassination” and stated that evidence suggests the shooter targeted Kirk alone. Donald Trump, a longtime ally of Kirk, referred to him as a “martyr for truth and freedom” and placed blame on the “radical left” for fostering a climate of political violence.