Spencer Cox
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Utah Governor Vows Death Penalty for Charlie Kirk’s Assassin, Urges Public to Aid Manhunt

RNN Staff

Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) pledged Thursday night that the state will pursue the death penalty against whoever is responsible for the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk — while calling on the public to aid in the nationwide manhunt now entering its second day.

The announcement came during a tense press conference that was delayed at the last minute due to what officials described as “rapid developments” in the investigation. When Cox and state officials finally addressed the media, they revealed surveillance video showing the suspect fleeing from the rooftop perch where the fatal shot was fired. The footage captured the killer leaping off the side of the building before escaping on foot.

Authorities urged the public to examine the suspect’s distinctive clothing and provide any information that might assist in tracking him down. Officials confirmed they had already interviewed more than 200 people and received thousands of tips — a volume of leads they compared to the Boston Marathon bombing investigation in 2013.

The Utah Department of Public Safety issued a plea for anyone with digital footage of the event to upload it to investigators, vowing that no stone would be left unturned. Governor Cox underscored that the full weight of Utah’s justice system will be brought against the shooter once captured.

“Utah will seek the death penalty for this heinous crime,” Cox said firmly. “The coward who assassinated Charlie Kirk will be brought to justice, and he will face the maximum punishment under law.”

The manhunt began immediately after Kirk, 31, was fatally shot in the neck Wednesday afternoon while speaking at Utah Valley University during a student Q&A session. Photos released by the FBI on Thursday show a male suspect wearing an American flag t-shirt, sunglasses, and a baseball cap — an outfit that investigators say allowed him to “blend in well” with students on campus.

The FBI has offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the shooter’s arrest.

Authorities believe the killing was a targeted political assassination, carried out from the roof of a campus building overlooking the courtyard where Kirk addressed students. “The shooting is believed to be a targeted attack,” the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement. “Any additional clarifications cannot be provided to protect the integrity of our investigation.”

The suspect remains at large as law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels intensify their pursuit.

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