Targeted Shot: The Manhunt Intensifies in Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

Shock at Utah Valley University

A student event that was supposed to be a walk in the park turned out to be tragic this Wednesday when conservative activist Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot dead at Utah Valley University. Witnesses state that Kirk was hit with a single bullet at about 12:20 pm MST. The police refer to the killing as a "targeted assassination".

Two Arrested, Then Released

Within a very short time after the shooting, two individuals—George Zinn and Zachariah Qureshi—were arrested. The police proceeded with the interrogation quickly but decided to let both of them go as they were not a part of the murder of Charlie Kirk. 

Zinn was once convicted of terrorist threats in relation to the Salt Lake City Marathon with the year of 2013 being the incident year. 

Neither Zinn nor Qureshi are officially named as suspects in the killing.

Manhunt Starts Over

Police are not giving up and, due to a new person of interest, they have started another manhunt. The individual reported to have shot from a rooftop overlooking a courtyard at the event is the one they are looking for. Work is being done such as:

●  Looking for people who live close to the scene of the crime.

●  Showing the person of interest’s images to as many people as possible.

●  The report says that the shooter wore black clothes.

Politics and Condemnation

The governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, condemned the killing and called it a political assassination. In the meantime, Donald Trump, which is among the first to benefit from Kirk’s death, launched a video live from the Oval Office:

“Charlie was a martyr for truth and freedom,” he said.

He also accused radical left-wing rhetoric of causing “an atmosphere” that resulted in such violence.

The Rise of Kirk and Turning Point USA

● Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a conservative values leading organization, in 2012 that advocates for limited government and tax cuts.

● He became well-known before Trump’s election and he succeeded in making the most out of it. As a young grassroots supporter and influencer, he was the main player.

What Now?

Although Zinn and Qureshi have been cleared of all charges, the police are still depending on the assistance of the general public. The FBI has created a digital tip line for those who have relevant information. There are numerous questions that the investigators need to find the answers to: Who was the shooter? What was the motive? And perhaps the most urgent issue, how long will it take before the law takes its course?

Final Reflection

While the hunt for the suspect of the Charlie Kirk murder continues on, the location is not only a murder scene, but also a national flashpoint in the intensely polarized political environment of the United States in which words and actions intersect violently.