New Clues Emerge in Charlie Kirk Murder Investigation

SALT LAKE CITY — The investigation into the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk is advancing, with authorities revealing significant new leads in their search for the gunman. On Thursday, officials announced the recovery of a high-powered rifle and other evidence, while video footage tracks the suspect's movements on the day of the attack.

Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s Salt Lake City office, confirmed the recovery of a "high-powered bolt-action rifle" from a wooded area near the Utah Valley University campus. Kirk was killed at the university on Wednesday afternoon after giving a speech. Investigators also have imprints of a forearm, a palm, and a shoe, and are seeking a man they believe is "of college age," according to Utah’s public safety chief, Beau Mason.

Video footage captures the suspect's movements, showing him arriving on campus shortly before noon, climbing to the roof of a campus building, and firing a single shot that struck Kirk in the neck. The gunman then jumped from the roof and fled.

The murder has intensified a national debate over political violence. While President Trump has blamed "radical left" rhetoric for the attack, investigators have not assigned a motive. The tragedy was underscored by a bitter partisan exchange in the House of Representatives during a request for a moment of silence for Kirk.

Here's a closer look at the latest developments:

• Political Fallout: The killing has elevated tensions in an already polarized nation. In a related incident, MSNBC fired political analyst Matthew Dowd after he made what the network called "inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable" remarks about Kirk's death on air. Dowd has since apologized.
• Posthumous Honor: President Trump announced that he will posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him "a giant of his generation" and "a champion of liberty."
• Embarrassment for the FBI: FBI Director Kash Patel faced significant embarrassment after prematurely congratulating officials for taking a suspect into custody, only to retract the statement on social media, clarifying that the person had been released. This backtrack came on the same day three former agents filed a lawsuit portraying Patel as a partisan neophyte