Authorities are maintaining an active manhunt for the shooter who killed political influencer Charlie Kirk during a student-sponsored event at Utah Valley University in March, according to updates from the Utah Department of Public Safety. Investigators believe the perpetrator fired from a building rooftop into the university courtyard.
Details of the Targeted Attack
The shooting occurred at approximately 12:20 p.m. MST while Kirk was speaking at an event with Turning Point USA in the university's outdoor bowl courtyard. The Department of Public Safety reported that Kirk was transported to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead hours later.
At the time of the attack, approximately 3,000 people were in attendance. While UVU police had six officers assigned to secure the event, Kirk also traveled with his own security detail.
Ongoing Crime Scene Investigation
The Utah Department of Public Safety confirmed that the shooting is being treated as a targeted attack. The agency's State Crime Lab and various law enforcement partners are processing multiple active crime scenes, which include the location where the victim was shot and the paths traveled by both the victim and the suspect.
In a March 1 press release, the Department of Public Safety stated that investigators are looking into several locations to reconstruct the events of the shooting.
Status of Previous Suspects
Law enforcement previously detained two individuals during the initial investigation, though neither has been linked to the shooting. George Zinn was initially taken into custody as a suspect but was later released after UVU police charged him with obstruction.
A second individual, Zachariah Qureshi, was also taken into custody and released following interrogation by law enforcement officials. The Department of Public Safety stated there are currently no ties between these individuals and the shooting.
Multi-Agency Investigation Effort
The investigation is a collaborative effort involving the FBI, the Utah County Attorney’s office, the Utah County Sheriff’s office, and local police departments. The FBI has established a digital media tip line at fbi.gov/UtahValleyShooting to collect information from the public regarding the incident.
Following the shooting in March, Utah Valley University closed its campus for the remainder of that week.
Call for Public Information
As of July 2026, the shooter remains at large. The Department of Public Safety has requested that anyone with information regarding the shooting contact the FBI's dedicated tip line.
