Kirk’s killer rifle loaded with transgender-etched bullets

A social media video screenshot shows Charlie Kirk speaking at Utah Valley University just minutes before he was shot. Photo: Reuters

FBI representatives reported that in a wooded area near the site of the assassination attempt on one of America’s most prominent conservative activists in recent years – Charlie Kirk – investigators discovered the rifle from which the fatal shot was likely fired. According to Bloomberg, cartridges found inside the magazine bore engravings symbolizing transgender ideology. The Wall Street Journal reported the same.

Law enforcement stated that the suspect arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m., climbed the stairs to the roof of a building located about 120 meters from the debate venue, and at around 12:20 p.m. fired the shot. Kirk, wounded, was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Police discovered footprints, palm, and forearm prints on the roof, now under forensic analysis. Utah Department of Public Safety chief Beau Mason said investigators have high-quality video recordings of the suspect.

A large-scale manhunt for the shooter is underway. The wanted notice describes the suspect as of student age.

The rifle used was an old 30-caliber hunting model. Inside the weapon and in the magazine, cartridges were discovered bearing engravings referencing transgender and antifascist ideology.

A spent casing remained in the chamber, with three unused cartridges with inscriptions lying nearby. The Justice Department stated that the investigation is still in its early stages, and the origin of the ammunition is under study.

At the moment of the attack, Kirk was on stage debating a student about transgender-related shootings. The name of this student has not been disclosed.

Donald Trump announced that Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him “a giant of his generation.”

Mr. Trump also released a video statement about Kirk, blaming the "radical left" for his killing. "For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now,” Trump said in a video address.

Earlier, the UOJ published a detailed report on the life and assassination of the American Christian politician Charlie Kirk.

Read also