President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered flags to fly at half-staff “as a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk,” after the 31-year-old conservative activist was shot and killed while speaking at an event on a college campus in Utah.
The order, issued by the White House, says the American flag at the White House and as well as at all public buildings and grounds, along with all military posts, naval stations and naval vessels throughout the United States be flown at half staff until sunset on Sunday, Sept. 14.
The order comes as flags in Illinois Thursday, were already set to fly at half-staff in honor of Patriot Day, and in remembrance of those killed in the Sept. 11 terror attacks in New York City.
According to an announcement from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, flags were set to fly at half-staff in the state through sunset Thursday.
Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, was killed with a gunshot from a distant rooftop at the Utah Valley University campus, where he was speaking during his “The American Comeback” event Wednesday.
As of Thursday, federal, state and local authorities were still working what they called “multiple active crime scenes,” with no one in custody.
The suspect has not yet been identified, but appeared to be of “college age,” officials said, noting the shooter fled into a nearby neighborhood. During a news conference Thursday, law enforcement officials said they had obtained video footage of a suspected shooter and had recovered a “high-powered, bolt-action” rifle from a wooded area where the suspect fled.
“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.
A batch of 911 traffic released Thursday from the Utah County Department of Public Safety via Broadcastify includes callers describing seeing a person on campus wearing “jeans, black shirt, black mask” and carrying a “long rifle.”
Another caller mentions a black vest.
Officials have been able to track the gunman’s movements before and after he shot Kirk up until the suspect seemingly disappeared.
Utah DPS Commissioner Beau Mason said the shooter arrived on the campus of Utah Valley University at 11:52 a.m. Authorities then tracked the subject through stairwells and up to and across the roof from where they fired the fatal shot.
After the shooting, Mason said officials tracked the shooter’s movements as the suspect moved to the other side of the building, jumped off the roof and fled to a nearby neighborhood.
Officials were combing through the neighborhood and contacting witnesses, as well as anyone with doorbell cameras, to identify leads.
“We do have good video footage of this individual. We are not going to release that at this time,” Mason said. “We are working through some technologies and some ways to identify this individual.”
The FBI released an image Thursday of a person of interest they are seeking in connection to the shooting.
The photos show a person wearing a long-sleeve black shirt, black hat and sunglasses. The office provided a number for the public to submit tips: 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Two people were detained Wednesday, but neither was determined to be connected to the shooting and both were released, public safety officials said.
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were set to visit with Kirk’s family on Thursday in Salt Lake City. According to a person familiar with Vance’s plans but not authorized to speak about them publicly, the Vances will visit Utah instead of attending an outdoor ceremony to commemorate Sept. 11 in New York.
Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and ultimately praying after hearing of the shooting. Kirk played a pivotal role in setting up the second Trump administration, Vance wrote.
“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”
Trump announced Thursday he’ll posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Trump said he remained shocked by the horror of Kirk’s assassination praised his ally’s impact on conservative politics.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump said.
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