Investigator reveals that the ammunition is engraved with pro-transgender and “anti-fascist” messages.
New and unsettling details are emerging regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the prominent right-wing activist who was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. The investigation has intensified, with authorities revealing key evidence as a massive manhunt for the shooter continues.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the investigation, the rifle used in the murder was found to have ammunition engraved with messages related to pro-transgender issues and “anti-fascist” ideology. The FBI has recovered the high-powered bolt-action rifle from a wooded area where the shooter fled and is now analyzing the weapon and the background of the suspect. The FBI stated that it has clear images of the shooter, who is believed to be of college age.
In response to the tragedy, President Donald Trump has ordered all US flags to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening and announced he will posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In his post on Truth Social, Trump referred to Kirk as “The Great, and even Legendary,” and “a very, very good friend.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also paid tribute to Kirk, a staunch supporter of Israel, writing on X: “Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking the truth and defending liberty. A friend of Israel with a lion’s heart, who fought lies on behalf of Jews and Christians.” Netanyahu revealed he had spoken with Kirk just two weeks prior and invited him to Israel, a visit that “will not happen.”
Videos of the shooting, which quickly went viral, show Kirk being struck in the neck by a single bullet as he addressed the crowd. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and underwent surgery before succumbing to his injuries. Kirk, who was 31, leaves behind his wife, Erika Frantzve, a former Miss Arizona USA, and their two young children, a daughter born in 2022 and a son born in 2024.
The conflicting reports regarding the suspect’s status—initially said to be in custody by some sources, then released, with others confirming no suspect was ever apprehended—have added to the chaos surrounding the event. As of tonight, the shooter remains at large, and authorities are appealing to the public for information, offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to an arrest.
