The FBI is facing questions over an airport that was left open after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, with speculation brewing over a jet that could be linked to his murder. Kirk, 31, was gunned down on Wednesday while speaking at a university event in Orem, Utah . Despite a large-scale manhunt being launched for his killer, who has still yet to be found, authorities failed to close off the airspace surrounding Provo Airport.

In an update by authorities on Thursday morning, they said a high-powered bolt action rifle was recovered from a wooded area nearby after the shooter jumped from the roof and fled the scene. The regional airport deals with domestic flights and is just a ten-minute drive from Utah Valley University where Kirk was speaking. Speculation on social media has pointed to a private jet that left the airport shortly after the single shot that killed the conservative activist rang out .

Flight tracking data shows the jet left the airport shortly after 2pm and headed south towards the Arizona border before it disappeared from radars. It then reappeared on radars and returned to Provo roughly one hour after leaving the airport. The jet in question has a registered owner in the Utah city of Lehi, according to FAA data seen by the Daily Mail.

Retired FBI agent James Gagliano appeared on Fox News on Thursday morning saying the killer could have made their escape via the airport. He said: ‘Was there pre-planning? Absolutely. You had to get access to the roof, this is the most chilling thing about this manhunt. ‘If you come off that roof, there is an open air parking lot behind that building, it is spitting distance from I-15.

‘This is a big concern because this person, between three to five minutes of that shot going off, could have been in a vehicle on his way out, and miles and miles away. ‘Provo Airport is only 45 minutes from there, these are all things you have to consider. This is going to be long and laborious.’ Kirk, a father of two, was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

It’s believed that the gunman opened fire from the roof of the Losee Center, where a shadowy figure was seen running just moments after the gunfire erupted. The building is located 200 yards away from where Kirk was debating with students and locals about political issues, and had just answered a question about gun violence. A manhunt remains underway, with little known about the shooter’s identity at this time. First responders described them as being dressed all in black, with aviator-style sunglasses.

An elderly man, since identified as 71-year-old George Zinn, was hauled away by cops in the immediate aftermath after allegedly claiming he had fired the fatal shot. Authorities soon determined that he was not involved in the assassination, and later confirmed that another man they had taken into custody was not the shooter either. ‘There is no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals,’ the FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety said in a joint statement.

‘There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter,’ the agencies added, as armed police officers were seen continuing to comb through the college town. President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s passing, describing him as ‘great, and even legendary’. University police said they had six officers patrolling the scene and were working in conjunction with Kirk’s personal security team.

Witnesses described how Kirk started bleeding out at the scene before he was rushed to a nearby SUV. As the investigation into the shooting continues, all classes have been canceled at Utah Valley University until Monday. In the meantime, the president has ordered all American flags to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening at 6pm EST in honor of Kirk.