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Authorities Recover Suspected Weapon Used In Charlie Kirk Shooting

Bonisiwe Shabane
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authorities recover suspected weapon used in charlie kirk shooting

OREM, UT — Behind Utah Valley University's Losee building, FBI forensics agents were still gathering evidence Sept. 11 in the wooded area where the bureau said agents recovered the "high-powered" rifle a shooter used to kill political influencer Charlie Kirk. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times, citing law-enforcement sources, reported it was an older model Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle. An ATF spokesperson declined to comment to USA TODAY, citing the active investigation. Evidence markers on a small hill behind the building appeared to mark the trail the shooter took, scrambling through some trees towards a nearby construction site. Charlie Kirk shooting live updates: New person of interest sought by FBI, rifle found

At the site, Dylan Hope, an electrician, told USA TODAY that his colleague, who was operating an excavator Wednesday, Sept. 10, when the shooting took place, believes he spoke with the gunman. Hope said his colleague spoke with a young man who appeared on the site and asked if he could walk through it. Authorities have recovered a weapon they believed was used in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, but as of Thursday evening, a suspect was not in custody. Kirk was speaking to a crowd at UVU under a tent when he was shot in the neck. He was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital where he later died.

At a press briefing Thursday morning, FBI Salt Lake City Special Agent Robert Bohls said the weapon used is a high-powered bolt action rifle. “That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled,” he said. “So the FBI laboratory will be analyzing this weapon. Investigators have also collected footwear impressions, a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis.” Law enforcement debunked rumors detailing information about the weapon; specifically about the ammunition, including inscriptions and symbols it allegedly contained. Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy.

We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way. Authorities say a high‑powered bolt‑action rifle was recovered and is believed to be the weapon used to kill Charlie Kirk; officials and multiple outlets identify it as a Mauser Model 98 in .30‑06 with... Law enforcement says the rifle was found wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near Utah Valley University and is being forensically analyzed at an FBI lab; prosecutors later said the gun came... 1. What officials publicly identified: a bolt‑action, high‑powered rifle FBI and local law enforcement repeatedly described the recovered weapon as a “high‑powered, bolt‑action rifle” that they believe was used in the shooting of Charlie Kirk; the FBI said the rifle was being examined...

Media outlets including Reuters, PBS and DW relayed the FBI characterisation and noted investigators recovered the rifle from a wooded area near the campus where the event took place [1] [5] [7]. 2. Specific make and caliber reported by some outlets: Mauser Model 98, .30‑06 Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Paul Thomasch and Lincoln Feast. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Kanishka Singh is a breaking news reporter for Reuters in Washington DC, who primarily covers US politics and national affairs in his current role.

His past breaking news coverage has spanned across a range of topics like the Black Lives Matter movement; the US elections; the 2021 Capitol riots and their follow up probes; the Brexit deal; US-China... Copyright ©2025 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. This undated combination of images provided provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)

Authorities have recovered a weapon they believe was used in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Kirk was speaking to a crowd at UVU under a tent when he was shot in the neck. He was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital where he later died. At a press briefing Thursday morning, FBI Salt Lake City Special Agent Robert Bohls said the weapon used is a high-powered bolt action rifle. “That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled,” he said. “So the FBI laboratory will be analyzing this weapon.

Investigators have also collected footwear impressions, a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis.” Fox News Digital sees police officers taping off the crime scene where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Utah Valley University's campus. The gun recovered by authorities in the assassination of Charlie Kirk was a bolt-action rifle — a common hunting weapon valued for its reliability but limited to a single shot before reloading. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who described Kirk's assassination as a "watershed moment," said during a Friday press conference that inscriptions were detected on bullet casings found with the rifle. Inscriptions on a fired casing read: "notices, bulges, OwO, what's this?" Other unused casings read, "Hey fascist!

Catch!" and "If you read this you are gay lmao," Cox said. Unlike a semiautomatic, the shooter must manually operate the bolt handle to cycle the weapon: lifting and pulling it back moves the spent cartridge, while pushing it forward chambers a new round from the... Lowering the bolt locks the round and seals the chamber, making the rifle ready to fire again — a simple, durable design that has kept it popular among hunters and target shooters. "This process limits the rate of fire, you can only take one shot at a time," explained retired Marine Lt. Col. Hal Kempfer in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Authorities investigating the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk recovered a weapon that could prove key to solving the case. FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls confirmed that investigators found a “high-powered bolt-action rifle” hidden in a wooded area near where Kirk was killed. Officials said the FBI sent the firearm to a laboratory for detailed analysis. The discovery comes after days of intense searching by federal and local investigators. Bohls told reporters that detectives also uncovered footwear impressions and a palm print in the vicinity of the crime scene, which could provide crucial leads. The public flooded the FBI with information, submitting more than 130 tips since Kirk’s death shocked the community.

“Every piece of information helps us build a clearer picture of what happened,” Bohls said. He stressed that investigators carefully review each lead, no matter how small, to ensure they don’t miss anything. Residents in the area expressed both relief and lingering anxiety following news of the weapon’s recovery. Some praised the FBI for their thorough approach, while others worried that the suspect could still be at large. Social media lit up with community members sharing updates, theories, and concerns about safety, revealing just how deeply Kirk’s death has affected the public. Experts note that the rifle’s recovery could significantly advance the investigation.

Forensic analysis can link weapons to their owners through ballistics, serial numbers, and other trace evidence. Meanwhile, the footwear impressions and palm print may help pinpoint the suspect’s movements and potentially place them at the scene of the murder.

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We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way. Authorities say a high‑powered bolt‑action rifle was recovered and is believed to be the weapon used to kill Charlie Kirk; officials and multiple outlets identify it as a Mauser Model 98 in .30‑06 with... Law enforcement says the rifle was found wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near Utah Valley University ...

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