Shortly after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot near Utah Valley University, a private jet departed Provo Airport (PVU) less than 15 minutes from the campus. The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 300 registered as N888KG, took off around 1:11 pm local time on September 10, triggering online theories about its connection to the attack.
Flight data showed the jet turned off radar services while approaching Arizona’s northern border at approximately 1:43 pm before reactivating them later that afternoon as it flew from Page Municipal Airport (PGA) back to Provo, landing at 3:06 pm. The flight’s trajectory and timing fueled speculation about potential links to the assassination.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the claims in a statement, clarifying that the plane never fully disappeared from FAA radar. Radar services were temporarily suspended by mutual agreement between the pilot and air traffic control, a practice permitted under FAA guidelines. The transponder, which broadcasts the aircraft’s location, remained active throughout the flight.
The jet’s owner, Derek Maxfield—CEO of online marketing company Komigo—confirmed the flight was part of a prearranged itinerary. He stated the plane departed PVU with two pilots and no passengers, later picking up seven individuals in Arizona before returning to Utah. Maxfield emphasized that the flight adhered to all FAA protocols and denied any connection to Kirk’s shooting.
“Any suggestion that the flights by N888KG are in any way related to the tragic shooting of Mr. Kirk is inaccurate, false, and without credible basis,” Maxfield wrote on social media. He noted no law enforcement had contacted those involved in the flight.