Charlie Kirk, a prominent right-wing activist, was shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Verified videos from the scene show a figure on the roof of a nearby building, raising questions about the circumstances of the shooting. Kirk, 31, sustained a severe neck injury from the gunfire, which has been described by Utah Governor Spencer Cox as a "political assassination."
The incident occurred at the Losee Center, a central building on campus that houses the university's welcome center. A university spokeswoman confirmed that the shooter fired from this location, which is approximately 100 meters from where Kirk was addressing an audience of about 3,000 people. Eyewitness accounts describe a chaotic scene, with many attendees ducking and screaming in panic immediately after the shot was fired.
A live stream captured the moment of the shooting, including the distinct sounds of the bullet and gunfire. The audio reveals a "crack" followed by a "thump," indicating that the shot was fired from a distance rather than up close. The crack is the sound of the bullet traveling at supersonic speed, while the thump is the sound of the gun's muzzle blast, which takes longer to reach the camera.
In the aftermath of the shooting, a video verified by ABC News shows a figure moving quickly on the roof of the Losee Center. This video has been highlighted and zoomed in on to provide a clearer view of the figure. A 3D rendering of the campus indicates that the Losee Center has a direct line of sight to the area where Kirk was speaking.
Another video, reportedly taken before the shooting, also shows a figure on the roof from a different angle. The individual recording the video points out the figure, saying, "So there's somebody on the roof right there. Just ran from … over … from over there, ran in." While it is unclear if the figure is a person, the location aligns with the earlier video of the figure moving away.
Both videos have been geo-located to the campus, confirming their proximity to the shooting scene. Investigators are continuing to analyze the footage and gather more information about the incident.