An internal email from an ATF officer obtained by conservative commentator Steven Crowder has uncovered alarming details about a Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle discovered in the woods near Utah Valley University, where TPUSA Founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot. The firearm, recovered following the September 10, 2025, attack, was found wrapped in a towel and linked to the suspect’s escape route.
The email disclosed that the cartridges recovered from the scene bore engravings containing “transgender and anti-fascist ideology.” Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Utah SBI, are collaborating on the investigation. The firearm and ammunition were sent for DNA analysis and fingerprint impressions, with an emergency trace initiated to identify the weapon’s origin.
According to the internal communication, Kirk was shot while speaking at the university as part of the American Comeback Tour. Surveillance footage captured the suspect firing from a rooftop and fleeing on foot. A second officer confirmed the discovery of the rifle in a wooded area near campus, with three unspent rounds and a spent cartridge still chambered. The ATF is working alongside federal, state, and local partners to identify the primary suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed.
The FBI has corroborated parts of the email’s contents, including the presence of a “high-powered bolt action rifle” at the scene. Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.