FBI says authorities find rifle believed to have been used in fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk

WASHINGTON

Investigators have found a rifle believed to have been used in the fatal shooting of conservative American political commentator Charlie Kirk, the FBI announced Thursday.

Robert Bohls, the FBI special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City field office, said the "high-powered bolt-action rifle" was recovered in a wooded area linked to the suspected shooter's escape route.

"The FBI laboratory will be analyzing this weapon. Investigators have also collected footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints for analysis," he told reporters.

Additional details on the suspect in Wednesday's shooting were scarce as law enforcement continues to scour surveillance video footage, but authorities said the individual "appears to be of college age."

"We do have good video footage of this individual. We're not going to release that at this time. We're working through some technologies and some ways to identify this individual. If we are unsuccessful, we will reach out to you as the media, and we will push that publicly to help us identify them," Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said.

The investigation has so far been able to track the suspect's movements starting roughly 30 minutes before Kirk was shot early Wednesday afternoon, Bohls said. Authorities believe the suspect arrived near the Utah Valley University campus at 11:52am, and made his way to the roof and to what Bohls described as a "shooting location."

After the shooting, the suspect moved to the other side of the building, jumped down and made his way into a nearby neighborhood where investigators have sought home camera surveillance footage.

"We are investing everything we have into this, and we will catch this individual," said Mason.

The Utah Department of Public Safety and the FBI are leading the investigation alongside the Utah County Attorney’s Office, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, and local police departments.

Two people of interest were taken into custody in the aftermath of the shooting, but were later released after being cleared of suspicion. Both said both individuals faced "threats" after being released, and asked the public to"patient with the investigative proces."

"These individuals were not suspects. They were people of interest. We asked that you do not impose into those people and that investigative process. They don't deserve that harassment," he said.

Kirk, 30, was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon while addressing a crowd of thousands at the university’s outdoor quad in Orem, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. Security at the event included six university police officers and Kirk’s private security team.