A direct shot to the neck... An intensive manhunt for the killer of "Charlie Kirk".

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

Arab Sea - Follow-ups: U.S. police launched an intensive manhunt on Thursday for a sniper believed to have fired the single shot that killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he answered questions about gun violence during a university event in Utah. Kirk, 31, a podcast host and influential ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, is credited with building a base of support for the Republican president among young voters, according to Reuters. He was shot dead on Wednesday in what Utah Governor Spencer Cox described as a political assassination. The killing, which was captured in detail in videos that quickly spread online, took place during a midday event attended by 3,000 people at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, about 65 kilometers south of Salt Lake City. In one clip, blood could be seen flowing from Kirk's neck immediately after the sound of the gunshot before he slumped into his chair. Kirk, the co-founder and president of Turning Point USA, an organization that seeks to spread right-wing conservative ideas among students, was pronounced dead at a local hospital hours later. His assassination sparked widespread outrage and condemnation of political violence from Democrats and Republicans alike. Cox said Kirk's participation in the campus event was part of a tradition of open political debate, which is "fundamental to building our country and preserving our most basic constitutional rights." "When someone kills another person because of their ideas or principles, that very constitutional foundation is threatened," Cox added. Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bo Mason said at a news conference four hours after the incident that the sole suspect "remains at large." Mason told reporters that surveillance camera footage showed a person believed to be the attacker wearing dark clothing. But about eight hours after the incident, authorities confirmed that they had not apprehended any suspects. State police issued a statement Wednesday evening saying that two men had been arrested, one of whom was questioned by law enforcement authorities, but both were released. "There is currently no connection between either of these individuals and the shooting. The investigation and search for the shooter is ongoing," it added.