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Authorities Recover Suspected Weapon Used In Kirk Shooting Fy Suspect

Bonisiwe Shabane
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authorities recover suspected weapon used in kirk shooting fy suspect

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Losee Center building near where conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. The man accused of killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk got the gun authorities say he used in the fatal Utah Valley University shooting from his grandfather, according to charging documents filed Tuesday. The suspect also described the messages he allegedly engraved into bullet casings that authorities later recovered from the scene as “mostly a big meme.” Prosecutors held a news conference Tuesday after formally filing charges against Tyler James Robinson, 22, in connection with Kirk’s killing. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray, who is leading the prosecution, said they intend to seek the death penalty.

According to a probable cause statement filed after Robinson was first arrested early Friday, the gun used in the shooting was a Mauser Model 98, .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle with a mounted scope. The hunting-style rifle is able to hold five rounds. 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.”

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. 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...

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. OREM, Utah — Officials shared new video showing the suspect believed to have been involved in the deadly shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk fleeing the Utah Valley University campus moments after Wednesday's incident. The video was shared in a Thursday evening briefing in which FBI Director Kash Patel was in attendance, but did not comment, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said officials would be seeking the death penalty against the suspect.

Video shows UVU shooting suspect fleeing scene; remains at large “More than anything we are going to catch this person and the last thing I will just say is, that we have been working with out attorneys, getting everything that we need in terms... Casket of Charlie Kirk transported to Arizona 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. Copyright ©2025 CBS Interactive Inc.

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