Planned Attacked: Gunman Shot Charlie Kirk From Location So They Could Escape 'Miles Away' in Minutes — as FBI Releases Images of Suspect
Charlie Kirk's alleged shooter was apparently able to easily escape.
Sept. 11 2025, Published 4:15 p.m. ET
FBI insiders say Charlie Kirk's alleged gunman knew what he was doing when he shot and killed the conservative activist from the roof of a tall building on the campus of Utah Valley University, RadarOnline.com can report.
The manhunt for the assassin is growing in size, as officials have finally released photos of the person they are looking for.
Kirk was shot while hosting an event in Utah.
Kirk's killer was reportedly perched on the roof of the multi-story Losee Center Building on the campus, some 200 yards from where the influencer was addressing and debating a crowd of nearly 3,000.
The sniper fired a single shot from what was later recovered to be a high-powered rifle, striking the 31-year-old. He died not long after at a local hospital.
Retired FBI supervising agent James Gagliano told Fox & Friends the location was perfect for a "quick getaway."
"If you come off that roof – and I’ve seen the drone footage of this – there's an open-air parking lot behind that building," Gagliano said. "It’s spitting distance from I-15 … a major thoroughfare there."
The former agent said the shooter would then have ample time and opportunity to get far from the scene amid the chaos.
"Within three to five minutes of that shot going off, that person could have been in a vehicle on his way out and miles and miles away."
Escape Plane?
The FBI has new images of their latest suspect.
Complicating the search, a small regional airport is only about 10 minutes from the university, and authorities neglected to close off the surrounding airspace, possibly allowing an escape via small plane.
Internet sleuths say a private jet that left the airport shortly after the shooting headed south towards the Arizona border – before it disappeared completely from radars.
It then reappeared on radars and returned to Provo roughly an hour later.
"Was there pre-planning? Absolutely," Gagliano explained. "You had to get access to the roof. This is the most chilling thing about this manhunt."
FBI Bloopers
The manhunt throughout Utah and beyond is growing.
The perceived ease of escape is another black eye for law enforcement responding to the scene. In the rush to find the killer, at least two people were falsely detained and then released when it was discovered they were not the shooter.
In one case, FBI Director Kash Patel went as far as bragging on X: "The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody."
However, less than two hours after his announcement, Patel walked back his post, explaining in another tweet: "The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues, and we will continue to release information in the interest of transparency."
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A reward is being offered to find his killer.
The FBI is now offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the mysterious man's identification. Pictures released by the agency show a man described as likely being "college-age" fleeing from the scene.
He is seen wearing a dark-colored hat and wraparound sunglasses, and a black long-sleeve shirt that seems to have an American flag on it.
Kirk was shot while hosting an event in Utah on Wednesday, September 10. Horrifying footage showed the conservative personality gushing blood as he fell from his chair and onto the floor.
He was rushed to a hospital in Orem, Utah, where he was pronounced dead.
