NEED TO KNOW
- Right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Sept. 10
- Utah Governor Spencer Cox revealed during a Thursday, Sept. 11, press conference that the FBI has received over 7,000 tips, but no arrest has been made
- The governor urged the public to continue submitting tips, including photo and video evidence
The person who fatally shot Charlie Kirk is still at large.
On Thursday, Sept. 11, Utah Governor Spencer Cox held a press conference to discuss the arrest of the suspect. Cox explained that law enforcement has received over 7,000 tips so far. He noted that it is the largest number of tips the FBI has received since the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
He continued to urge the public to offer insights and tips, including any photo or video information, to the ongoing investigation. Explaining that the authorities need the support of the public to complete the investigation. He also warned that there is a “tremendous amount of disinformation” being spread.
Cox added that over 200 interviews have been completed already, and there are 20 federal, state and local law enforcement partners “working shoulder-to-shoulder to find the person who committed this horrific crime.”
He also reiterated that the FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible for the murder of Kirk.
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Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative advocacy group targeting young people, was shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Sept. 10. He was later pronounced dead at the Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem, Utah.
Kirk is survived by his wife, the former Miss Arizona USA Erika Frantzve, and their two children, a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son.
Authorities say they believe the shooter fired from the roof of a building about 200 yards away from where Kirk was speaking.
After the suspect fired, he then “jumped off” the roof and escaped into a nearby neighborhood and then a wooded area. Investigators went into the woods and recovered the rifle, which is believed to have been used in the shooting, as well as a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm imprints believed to belong to the suspect.
Before Cox and Patel’s press conference, the FBI released photos of a person of interest on Thursday, Sept. 11. The gunman had been described as someone who was able to blend in well among the college students.
The FBI has created a digital media tip line seeking information regarding the shooting.
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