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Fact Check Was The Rifle Used To Kill Charlie Kirk Obtained Legal

Bonisiwe Shabane
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fact check was the rifle used to kill charlie kirk obtained legal

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. The available reporting paints a consistent but incomplete picture: the weapon that killed Charlie Kirk is reported as a decades‑old Mauser Model 98 bolt‑action rifle that likely predates U.S. serial‑number mandates, and authorities have not publicly confirmed whether it was obtained legally. Significant gaps remain about the rifle’s chain of custody, how or when the suspect’s grandfather acquired it, and whether law enforcement was able to trace or legally classify the transfer, leaving the legality unresolved... 1.

How the weapon is being described — an old Mauser that resists tracing Reporting uniformly identifies the rifle as a vintage German Mauser Model 98 bolt‑action, notable for being old enough to predate U.S. serial‑number requirements, which several outlets say makes it difficult or impossible to trace through typical law‑enforcement databases. The characterization of the gun as a pre‑serial relic appears in multiple accounts and is the central factual anchor for the untraceability claim [1] [3] [2]. This technical detail is key because it shifts the inquiry from “illegal purchase” to “historical provenance,” and it underpins why investigators reportedly face barriers in establishing an origin story for the rifle [1]. 2.

The suspect’s family connection — a transfer from a grandfather raises more questions than answers The gun authorities say was used to assassinate Charlie Kirk was a Mauser 98, a common bolt-action rifle typically used for hunting. The gun is a popular rifle used to hunt bigger game and has a markedly different design and function than the modern semiautomatic assault rifles that have made headlines in high-profile mass shootings. The hunting rifle, which had a heavier .30-06 caliber, dates back decades as German-made military surplus with millions produced and resold in the United States, experts told USA TODAY. Authorities say the shooter used a rifle with a mounted scope to strike Kirk in the neck. The shooter may have been less than 150 yards from Kirk, according to a USA TODAY analysis of satellite imagery.

“It’s an easy shot for someone even with minimal training,” said Scott Sweetow, a firearms expert and a retired senior official in the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Mauser 98 doesn't require an expert to be accurate at that range, according to Brandon Webb, a former Navy SEALs head sniper instructor and editor at the military lifestyle outlet SOFREP. Political commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10 during an event at Utah Valley University. Authorities uncovered a high-powered rifle in the woods and believe it was used against Kirk, USA TODAY reported. 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.

Here's a look at how bolt-action rifles work and their legality in Illinois. Bolt-action rifles require the user to manually reload each time they want to fire. In comparison, semi-automatic rifles use a mechanism to chamber a subsequent round. The National Rifle Association labeled bolt-action rifles "the quintessential rifle action for military, hunting and target-shooting applications" in a 2023 article. Most of these rifles have an internal magazine holding 3-5 rounds of ammunition, according to the NRA. 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. Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was shot and killed with a single gunshot in front of thousands of college students on Sept. 10.

On the morning of Sept. 12, President Donald Trump announced a suspect was in custody. In a Sept. 12 press conference, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox identified the suspect as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. He was taken into custody after a family member contacted authorities and said Robinson had "confessed to them or implied that he committed the incident."

The annnouncement comes after days of intense investigation, video analysis and searches. Video released Thursday night showed a person running across the roof of the building where the shot came from. FBI agents recovered what they described as "a high-powered, bolt-action rifle" from a wooded area behind a building at Utah Valley University, where Kirk, 31, was talking to students as part of his "American... Cox said authorities determined the rifle, found wrapped in a dark towel, was a Mauser Model 98 .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle with a mounted scope. A bolt action rifle is one that requires the user to manually reload every time he or she wants to fire, generally by using a handle on the side that allows the marksman to... 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... 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 The memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead on September 10 in Utah, is scheduled for Sunday morning at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Investigators had found a gun near the crime scene within hours, but tracing it proved challenging. The German-made rifle, a Mauser Model 98, is decades old and was originally made for military use in both World Wars. Experts say it likely arrived in the US long before laws in the 1960s required guns to have serial numbers or other marks to allow tracing. Millions of such weapons are still found in homes across the country.

The rifle belonged to the suspect’s grandfather, though authorities have not explained how he acquired it. The bolt-action rifle requires manual reloading between shots, making it unusual in modern crimes. “A bolt-action rifle? You don’t see those guns used in violent crimes,” said Tim Sloan, a former ATF agent. Also read | How Charlie Kirk, a college dropout, became Donald Trump’s ally? Authorities were able to identify Kirk's alleged killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, through other means, without relying on tracing the weapon.

The use of a vintage gun has raised concerns among former federal agents. “Short of the security afforded to the president, there’s no way to defend against the threat posed by this,” said Scott Sweetow, a retired ATF official. Read | Charlie Kirk assassination: 95 Democrats vote in favour as House passes resolution to honour conservative activist

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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. The available reporting paints a consistent but incomplete picture: the weapon that killed Charlie Kirk is reported as a decades‑old Mauser Model 98 bolt‑action rifle that likely predates U.S. serial‑number mandates, an...

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How the weapon is being described — an old Mauser that resists tracing Reporting uniformly identifies the rifle as a vintage German Mauser Model 98 bolt‑action, notable for being old enough to predate U.S. serial‑number requirements, which several outlets say makes it difficult or impossible to trace through typical law‑enforcement databases. The characterization of the gun as a pre‑serial relic a...

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