Gunman in Charlie Kirk killing still at large after FBI says first suspect released from custody
Last edited Wed Sep 10, 2025, 10:13 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: CNBC
Published Wed, Sep 10 2025 2:48 PM EDT Updated 40 Min Ago
A manhunt was underway late Wednesday for the killer of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated earlier in the day by a gunman, while speaking to a crowd of several thousand people at Utah Valley University in Orem.
An initial suspect was released from custody after being interrogated by law enforcement officers, said FBI Director Kash Patel. The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency, Patel wrote on X.
Before the initial suspects release, Patel had taken the unusual step of announcing on social media that the subject in Kirks killing had been taken into custody. Typically, updates to high-profile investigations are delivered by local authorities or regional FBI agents at press conferences not by the director and not on social media.
The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody, Patel had written. Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with @fbi. We will provide updates when able. Patel did not identify the suspect.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/charlie-kirk-uvu-shooting-utah.html
Just breaking. PREVIOUS THREAD - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143527333
Link to tweet
@FBIDirectorKash
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The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency
FBI Director Kash Patel
@FBIDirectorKash
The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody. Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with @fbi.
We will provide updates when able.
7:59 PM · Sep 10, 2025
EARLIER X POST
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@FBIDirectorKash
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The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody. Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with @fbi.
We will provide updates when able.
6:21 PM · Sep 10, 2025
Article updated.
Previous articles/headlines -
Published Wed, Sep 10 2025 2:48 PM EDT Updated 3 Min Ago
An initial suspect in the killing of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk in Utah was released from custody Wednesday after being interrogated by law enforcement officers, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
"The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency," Patel wrote on X.
Patel's announcement came hours after Kirk, 31, was assassinated by a gunman while speaking to a crowd of several thousand people at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Before the initial suspect's release, Patel had taken the unusual step of announcing on social media that the "subject" in Kirk's killing had been taken into custody. Typically, updates to high-profile investigations are delivered by local authorities or regional FBI agents at press conferences -- not by the director and not on social media.
Published Wed, Sep 10 2025 2:48 PM EDT Updated 7 Min Ago
A suspect in the killing of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk in Utah is in custody, FBI Director Kash Patel said on Wednesday evening.
Patel's announcement came hours after Kirk, 31, died after being shot while speaking to a crowd of several thousand people at Utah Valley University in Orem, where he had just been asked about mass shootings.
"The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody," Patel wrote in a tweet. ″'Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with @fbi. We will provide updates when able." Patel did not identify the suspect.
A gunman fired at Kirk from a campus building 200 yards away just after noon local time, hitting him once in the neck, the university said.
Original article -
The suspect in the killing of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk in Utah is in custody, FBI Director Kash Patel said on Wednesday evening.
Patel's announcement came hours after Kirk died after being shot while speaking to a large crowd at Utah Valley University in Orem.
"The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody," Patel wrote in a tweet. ″'Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with @fbi. We will provide updates when able."
The unknown gunman fired at the 31-year-old Kirk from a campus building 200 yards away just after noon local time, hitting him once in the neck, the university said.

BigmanPigman
(53,708 posts)Vogon_Glory
(10,029 posts)Last edited Wed Sep 10, 2025, 08:47 PM - Edit history (2)
Did the cops round up any tall person with big hands and feet and dressed like a woman, regardless of biological gender?
EDIT: in these times we live in, I can well imagine the authorities targeting transgenders as likely suspects in Kirks assassination, regardless of actual guilt or innocence.
Oneironaut
(6,113 posts)Trans people are not violent or prone to shootings. We are not "the usual suspects." We just want to be left alone and not referred to as slurs.
drray23
(8,411 posts)As per a few minutes ago in a live conference the fbi agent in charge on the ground said the shooter is at large. They do have a person in custody that they arrested for obstruction but it is not the shooter.
OnlinePoker
(6,018 posts)His life is going to be hell going forward.
Justice Brandeis
(270 posts)???
TommyT139
(1,843 posts)...he is being held for obstruction of police activity or something, and was named in the press conf.
ancianita
(41,741 posts)
Renew Deal
(84,458 posts)There is another name floating around.
BumRushDaShow
(159,833 posts)because the first one taken into custody WAS announced as not being the shooter.
Bengus81
(9,331 posts)BumRushDaShow
(159,833 posts)I hadn't seen the pic of the original guy they ended up releasing.
Whoever did this was an expert.
Bengus81
(9,331 posts)markodochartaigh
(3,914 posts)This is how screwed this country is: There are three possibilities.
A) Patel just really has no clue that the old guy first arrested has already been cleared.
B) There is someone in custody because the whole thing was a false flag and they have a patsy.
C) The FBI actually apprehended the suspect but haven't even informed local police.
All of these possibilities should be able to be dismissed instantly in a well-functioning country.
LiberalArkie
(18,916 posts)But I feel they will find that the dead shooter is trans sexual as that was what he was bitching about
markodochartaigh
(3,914 posts)I doubt, I think that the actual shooter would have been spirited away. I don't have any problem imagining a military sniper willing to shoot someone on their own side as part of a false flag operation, but I doubt that they would do it if they knew that they would be killed. Especially considering how much more effective it would be to have a left wing patsy. The patsy could be cornered in a mountain cabin and a shootout would remove any possibility of an awkward Oswald "I'm a patsy" moment.
LiberalArkie
(18,916 posts)Question from the audience: Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?
Charlie Kirk: Too many.
Dyedinthewoolliberal
(16,156 posts)but I suspect not many. Already people in my family who are conservative are saying things like 'there are too many shooting by trans people'
markodochartaigh
(3,914 posts)Whatever demographic. I doubt that this what actually happened. Not because the reich-wing has any scruples at all, but because it doesn't seem necessary. Anything and/or everything can be used by them for whatever they want to do. Add to this their laziness and incompetence and it just seems unlikely that they would spin some extremely complicated plot to get a rationalization for what they are doing anyway.
Oneironaut
(6,113 posts)Trans people are not violent or shooters. We just want to be left alone and exist like everyone else.
muriel_volestrangler
(104,632 posts)At this point, there is no information that would lead us to believe that there is a second person involved, Cox said at a press conference Wednesday.
Still, investigators are actively looking for people who may have more information about the shooting, Cox said.
The governor said authorities have a person of interest in custody that is being interviewed right now.
https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-09-10-25#cmfek34vp001e3b6okuqed4hh
AZJonnie
(1,423 posts)And not because DJT Jr. saw Kirk as a threat to his own political ambitions some day?
In other words, not the sort of 'false flag' that the likes of Alex Jones would be yammering about if a Democrat were POTUS?
Good to know, Governor!
bucolic_frolic
(52,318 posts)His lawyers will ponder that characterization.
Katinfl
(495 posts)AZJonnie
(1,423 posts)In fact I expect some BS about how they cannot divulge their identity because of "national security". That's because Trump will get more mileage from the story by not telling anyone who it was. Focus on this, people, not Epstein!
Come to think of it, the whole thing is pretty convenient in a lot ways for him. Just sayin
Justice Brandeis
(270 posts)That would be very very bad.
AZJonnie
(1,423 posts)And I would imagine the number of trained snipers who are transgender is very, very small. But yeah, that WOULD be very, very bad. Same if they're an immigrant, esp. one not here legally.
If there can be said to be an optimal situation, in terms of the political fallout, the person is white, decorated military, and lost a loved one in a mass shooting who has animosity towards Kirk specifically over his callous talk about random gun violence.
However if that were the real situation, I very much doubt the public would ever be told thusly. Not by this DoJ/FBI, nor this M$M.
durablend
(8,489 posts)a) They haven't dug in far enough to figure out which side he's on
OR
b) they know which side he's on and need to get on the same page with the excuse/coverup
LudwigPastorius
(13,364 posts)The fact that there hasn't been a capture makes me think this person disabled/circumvented security cameras, planned an escape, picked up his brass, and left no other physical evidence.
Jilly_in_VA
(12,985 posts)is clueless. He'd better leave it to state and local officials to sort things out> He's already made a hash of the FBI.
Hotler
(13,421 posts)From one of Kirk's rally's about three years ago. His supports wanting to open fire on Dems & Libs.
Renew Deal
(84,458 posts)James48
(4,932 posts)My money is on it being a Right-winger with some bizarre motive. Maybe a personal issue- or jilted husband of a lover. Something really weird and unexpected like that.
If it was a lefty, Patel would have said so.
I think Patel is hiding the shooters identity because didnt suit their cause.
Bernardo de La Paz
(58,221 posts)DBoon
(24,276 posts)said someone (not me)
johnnyfins
(2,836 posts)Kirk decided to "move on" from the Epstein issue?
Crowman2009
(3,252 posts)...nowadays. Not to mention that Utah is a deep red open carry w/o a permit state.
C Moon
(13,165 posts)without being on several cameras, but at a university someone can walk in w a high powered scoped rifle without being noticed.
Bernardo de La Paz
(58,221 posts)Nobody ever walked onto a campus with a guitar case, violin case, ski bag, hockey equipment bag, construction equipment, a box of tools, a case of lab equipment, ....
Nobody ever moved their belongings into a dorm on a campus in early September.
Mosby
(19,019 posts)ashredux
(2,765 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(27,245 posts)SunSeeker
(56,620 posts)Kash Patel's Keystone Cops have now wrongly arrested TWO individuals and doxxed them before releasing them after realizing they weren't involved.
twodogsbarking
(15,644 posts)hamsterjill
(16,522 posts)Just sayin'...
Historic NY
(39,272 posts)AdamGG
(1,756 posts)The two Minnesota state reps were shot and one killed a few months ago? If they arrest a suspect for this shooting, will there be the same level of comments by federal officials and the president as there was for those two elected representatives and three other people? Those were actual elected officials and this is a pundit.
PCB66
(44 posts)The report this morning is that a bolt action rifle was used. I don't know how reliable Crowder is but if the report is accurate and it was another transgender shooting this is not good. The MAGAs will use it to foster more hate.
ATF and other law-enforcement located an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the campus. The location of the firearm appears to match the suspects route of travel. The spent cartridge was still chambered in addition to three unspent rounds at the top fed magazine. All cartridges have engraved wording on them, expressing transgender and anti-fascist ideology.
Link to tweet