Vintage Bolt-Action Rifle Linked to Kirk Assassination Attempt Posed Unique Challenges, Authorities Say
Authorities investigating the attempted assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk revealed that the alleged gun used in the attack was a powerful, vintage bolt-action rifle, which complicated their forensic and tracing efforts.
Law enforcement officials found the suspect’s weapon, a bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel, after tracking the suspect’s escape path through a wooded area near the scene. This rifle was notable for its age and craftsmanship — a design not commonly used in modern shootings, which posed a hurdle in identifying the firearm’s provenance and owner.
Investigators reported that the rifle contained one spent round and three unspent rounds, all carefully inscribed with various etched inscriptions, including unusual symbols and personal expressions. The fired cartridge casing bore distinctive markings absent on the other unfired rounds, indicating the single shot fired during the incident.
Significantly, no shell casings were found on the rooftop from which the shots were fired, supporting the theory that the weapon was a bolt-action rifle rather than an autoloading or semi-automatic gun. Bolt-action rifles require manual cycling of the bolt to eject spent cartridges, which matches the scene’s evidence.
The rifle, the rounds, and the towel wrapping it underwent thorough forensic analysis. DNA consistent with the suspect was discovered on multiple parts of the weapon and the towel, linking the suspect directly to the rifle. This confirmation was crucial as the suspect remained at large in the immediate aftermath.
Authorities released surveillance images of the suspect captured during the attack to the public in hopes of generating leads. Official sources have also noted that the vintage nature of the firearm makes tracing its ownership and acquisition trail particularly difficult, as such rifles often change hands privately and may not be registered in modern databases.
Experts remark that vintage firearms like bolt-action rifles, which have long been largely replaced by more modern firearms in most shootings, represent investigative challenges due to the scarcity of detailed registration and ballistic profiles in law enforcement systems.
As the investigation continues, law enforcement underscores the complexity added by the gun’s characteristics, but officials remain committed to bringing those responsible to justice.