Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, was shot dead while speaking at Utah Valley University (UVU).
Now, investigators are scrambling to identify the killer, with multiple false leads and detentions adding to the confusion.
The Deadly Shooting at UVU
Kirk, 31, had been invited to address around 3,000 people gathered in UVU’s outdoor quad under a white gazebo. At approximately 12:20PM local time, while responding to a question about gun violence, a gunshot rang out.
Eyewitness footage shows Kirk recoiling in his chair, with blood visible on his neck, before panic swept the crowd.
"I heard a loud shot, a loud bang and then I saw his body actually - in slow motion - kind of fall over," one eyewitness told reporters, per BBC News.
Kirk was rushed to a hospital in a private vehicle, but hours later Trump confirmed his death on Truth Social.
His wife and two children were present but unharmed, and no other injuries were reported. The university was quickly evacuated as heavily armed police began searching for the shooter.
Law Enforcement Calls It an Assassination
Authorities have classified the killing as an assassination. Investigators believe the fatal shot was fired from the roof of UVU’s Losee Center, a building overlooking the courtyard.
Security footage and eyewitness accounts suggest the suspect was "dressed in dark clothing." Videos circulating on social media claim to show a figure on the rooftop after the shooting, though poor image quality has made it impossible to confirm.
"This shooting is still an active investigation," the Department of Public Safety said in its latest statement, per the New York Post.
False Leads and Released Suspects
Twists have marked the search for Kirk’s killer. Within hours of the shooting, two people who were marked as "persons of interest" were detained but later cleared.
On Wednesday evening, FBI Director Kash Patel announced: "The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement."
He added: "Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency."
The reversal came less than two hours after Patel had initially declared that the shooter was in custody, even standing alongside Utah Gov. Spencer Cox at a press conference citing security footage.
One of the cleared individuals was described by his mother as “super shaken” after witnessing the shooting and then being mistakenly detained.
"He’s a great kid," she said. "I have a picture of him. He’s like 25-feet from Charlie on the other side that he was shot. He sent us a video."
The mother added that her son was a Kirk supporter who had traveled to UVU to hear him speak: "He was attending like any other college kid. He listens to him."
The other man initially detained — an older individual seen with his pants around his ankles — was dragged away by officers in front of the terrified crowd. Police told onlookers the man had confessed, but he too was released after questioning.
With both suspects cleared, Kirk’s assassin remains at large.