&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Hunt for Charlie Kirk's assassin underway: Second suspect released, as Utah governor warns of 'death penalty' for the culprit")
The gunman who killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk has not been caught, despite hours of searching, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. Confusion deepened after FBI Director Kash Patel said a suspect was in custody, only to later admit the man had been released following questioning. “Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in the interest of transparency,” Patel said.
Wrong suspects released
The first man detained, 71-year-old George Zinn, was later ruled out as the shooter. Another man, Zachariah Qureshi, was also taken into custody and questioned but released soon after. The FBI now says the search for the real gunman remains active.
Kirk shot during student event
Kirk, 31, was speaking to a crowd of about 3,000 students at Utah Valley University when he was shot once in the neck. The bullet came from the Losee Centre, around 200 yards away, a university spokesperson told The New York Times. The Turning Point USA founder died shortly afterwards. US President Donald Trump later confirmed his death.
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Governor calls it a political assassination
Utah Governor Spencer Cox described the attack as a “political assassination” and vowed justice. “To whoever did this, we will find you, we will try you and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law,” he said, adding that Utah still enforces the death penalty. He also recalled Kirk as “first and foremost, a husband and a dad to two children,” calling it a “dark day for our state” and a “tragic day for our nation.”
Heavy security failed to stop attack
Utah Valley police chief Jeff Long said six officers were on duty for the event, alongside Kirk’s own security detail. “You try to get your bases covered, and unfortunately, today, we didn’t,” Long said. “Because of that, we have this tragic incident,” he added. Videos showed the moment Kirk was struck, as blood poured from his neck and students scrambled for safety.
