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FBI Releases Images of Person of Interest in Charlie Kirk Shooting · True Crime Never Sleeps

• 0:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the True Crime Never Sleep Show.
• 0:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: As always, I'm your host, Larry Lease.
• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: And while we usually release cold case Friday on Friday, we're gonna continue to follow the latest developments in the investigation in the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
• 0:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Authorities have now released surveillance images of a person of interest in the case.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: The FBI has made public two images, believe to be from surveillance footage taken at Utah Valley University.
• 0:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: The suspect appears to be wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a hoodie, or sweatshirt, with an American flag emblem on the front.
• 0:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: In another angle, the suspect is seeing wearing jeans and white sneakers with the same sweatshirt visible that hadn't sung last season, suggesting an attempt to conceal their identity.
• 0:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Of course, if you recognize the individual on those photos, the FBI is urging the public to contact them immediately.
• 0:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Meanwhile, new video has surfaced showing the area behind the amphitheater, or Kirk was speaking, just a few hundred yards away from the scene in a lightly wooded area near a perimeter road.
• 1:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Investigators discovered a bolt action rifle believed to have been used in the shooting.
• 1:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: The area, which sits between the university and near by neighborhood, has been cordoned off with crime scene tape.
• 1:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: FBI evidence teams have been actively working in this area.
• 1:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Additionally, just across from the perimeter road from the wooded area, is a building that appears to have been the shooter's vantage point.
• 1:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: A ladder was spotted leaning against the building, raising questions.
• 1:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's unclear whether this ladder was used by the shooter to access the roof, or placed there later by investigators.
• 1:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: However, the FBI was seen photographing and examining it closely.
• 1:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: The proximity of these key locations, the amphitheater, the rooftops, and the wooded area, suggests the shooter was able to move quickly across a relatively small distance, likely no more than a city block.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: As of the latest update from the FBI, the individuals who were detained in interview yesterday have now all been cleared.
• 2:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: None of them are considered suspects in the assassination
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Initially, one older man was taken into custody at the event, but was later released.
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Another individual, also briefly held in question, has similarly been cleared.
• 2:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: The confusion stem from an earlier statement by the FBI director who tweeted that a subject was in custody.
• 2:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: That statement gave many of the impression that a suspect had been apprehended.
• 2:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: However, the FBI later clarified that no one is currently being held in connection to the
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: authorities have confirmed that a bolt-action rifle between, uh, believe to be the weapon used, was recovered in the wooded area behind the amphitheater.
• 2:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: The suspect is believed to have fled the rooftop across the university's perimeter road, ditched the rifle in that wooded patch, and then disappeared into a nearby neighborhood.
• 2:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: One key reason the suspect may have evaded capture is that he blended in with the crowd, likely due to his college age appearance.
• 3:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: The FBI says he did not immediately race a special among the hundreds of students and attendees who were fleeing to see surveillance footage supports this theory and the images released today get the clear look at the man in question.
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: In addition to the surveillance images, investigators say they've gathered gathered physical evidence from the scene, including footprints, palm prints and forearm in prints, which are now being analyzed.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: The FBI has expressed confidence in their ability to track the suspect using both forensic and digital leads.
• 3:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Interestingly, earlier in the day, authorities stated that they were withholding the photo of the suspect because they were confident in their ability to find them.
• 3:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just hours later, that changed.
• 3:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: They released the images to the public.
• 3:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: This shift may indicate that previous investigative methods weren't producing results as expected.
• 3:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: The location of the shooting on a university campus, surrounded by mountainous terrain, initially seemed like it might work in the suspect's favor, offering numerous places to hide.
• 4:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: But according to a former FBI agent familiar with the region, the geography may actually make it easier, or authorities to track the suspect down.
• 4:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: In an interview conducted, then I before the former agent explained that larger, large cities like LA or New York present more challenges, multiple highways, dense street grids and countless places to disappear.
• 4:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: In contrast, Utah has far fewer escape routes, just a couple of major highways in a smaller urban footprint.
• 4:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: This could limit the suspects' ability to remain hidden from all.
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's also been speculation about whether the shooter was a trained professional.
• 4:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Given the distance from which the shot was taken, some of argued that a degree of marks marksmanship was required.
• 4:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: However, the FBI noted something important.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: A true sniper wouldn't aim for the neck.
• 4:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: According to him, a trained sniper would typically target the head or chest areas, or likely to result in a fatal shot.
• 5:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: In this case, Charlie Kirk was reportedly struck in the neck, which raises questions about the shooter's experience or intentions.
• 5:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Back on campus, the atmosphere remains tense and somber, classes have been canceled, and students who attended the event are said to be deeply shaken.
• 5:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Many witnessed the chaos firsthand and are struggling to process the trauma.
• 5:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: The shock, however, isn't limited to the university.
• 5:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Across the country, people are reacting with a growing sense of unease.
• 5:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Political violence has affected individuals on all sides of the political spectrum.
• 5:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: One woman that was interviewed on TV at a hotel nearby set of best, quote, the world just feels different today.
• 5:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: That sentiment seems to echo how many Americans are feeling in the wake of yet another act of targeted political violence.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: As the investigation continues, the most urgent priority remains identifying and locating the person of interest.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: The FBI has released two surveillance images and they're asking for the public's help.
• 6:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: if anyone recognizes the individual picture, they should contact federal authorities immediately.
• 6:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Investigators believe, like we mentioned, to manage to escape the scene by blending in with the crowd crossing the campus perimeter and discarding the weapon in a wooded area and fleeing into a nearby residential neighborhood.
• 6:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Given the short distance between these points, it's likely the entire escape happened within a manner of minutes.
• 6:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: The amphitheater itself now sealed off remains eerily untouched, witnesses describing a abandoned personal belongings like backpacks and chairs scattered across the area.
• 6:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Law enforcement has left a space-court enough frozen in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
• 7:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: The tent where Charlie Kirk was speaking is still visible, surrounded by police tape.
• 7:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Authorities remain tight-lipped about what else they may know, but they've hinted that more information could be forthcoming.
• 7:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's clear they may be holding back certain details, possibly to preserve the integrity of the investigation.
• 7:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: This case joins a growing list of politically motivated attacks and recent years.
• 7:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Report a reflect.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hmm.
• 7:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Excuse me.
• 7:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just look back at the shooting on lawmakers in Minneapolis, the attempted assassination of President Trump and West Palm Beach, and the recent shooting in Butler.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: These acts of violence, regardless of political affiliation, have shaken this country.
• 7:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Despite speculation circulating in some media outlets, including reports about possible messages written on the firearm, or theories about the suspect's motive,
• 7:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: We stick to confirmed facts, until more information is independently verified.
• 7:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Rumors remain just that, rumours.
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: The hope now is that with the suspects photo widely circulated, someone will come forward with a lead and help spring this case closer to resolution.
• 8:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: And with that, I came in as for like,
• 8:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you want to follow this case, be sure to hit the subscribe button, bell notification button, be notified of future videos, which will probably be focusing on this case.
• 8:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, until the suspect has been...
• 8:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: captured or killed, which hopefully he doesn't get killed, and it actually gets to go to jail.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to hold off on our regular scheduled murder Mondays, cold case Friday episodes.
• 8:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Instead, we're going to focus on this case and I'll bring to you any videos, video updates on this case in the future weeks.
• 8:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's always thank you so much for watching and listening.
• 9:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'll see you next time.