Charlie Kirk assassin likely lacks social skills, did not plan for aftermath: retired FBI profiler
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The individual responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk remains at large and is probably someone who is socially awkward, isolates themselves, and has only a vague plan for future actions, remarked retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and profiler James Clemente to Fox News Digital.

β€œIn this scenario, there is likely a sustained buildup of frustration, anger, and rage, coupled with a perception of unmet needs. Consequently, they sought to make a significant β€” a notably large β€” public statement. [The suspect] likely suffers from low self-esteem and wanted to accomplish something substantial to improve how they view themselves.

β€œFurthermore, they probably lack the skills needed to deal with these feelings in a calm, rational, and interpersonal manner. That deficiency is what led them to react in such a violent and extreme way,” Clemente, who is also the co-host and creator of the show β€œReal Crime Profile,” explained to Fox News Digital during a phone interview on Thursday.

Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot by an unidentified individual Wednesday afternoon while attending an event at Utah Valley University as part of his American Comeback Tour. Kirk was a massive voice for the conservative movement, championing faith, family and freedom-focused values for youths, most notably on college campuses through TPUSA.

The shocking assassination has not yet yielded a suspect, and the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are poring through evidence to identify and apprehend the individual.Β 

Clemente spoke to Fox Digital specifically about a shooter’s pre- and post-offense behavior, noting that the suspect likely dropped hints or divulged details of the planned assassination to friends or family or via social media posts ahead of the violence.Β 

β€œThis is not likely a repeat offense for this person. It’s probably the first time that they ever acted out in this way, and, therefore, they probably leaked out information beforehand,” he said, adding the suspect may have dropped information to others while at work to colleagues or while drinking at a bar.Β 

High-profile shooters typically drop breadcrumbs of information on their planned attack β€œbecause they don’t know for certain that this is what they’re going to do, but they are building up this frustration and anger and rage, and they want to take it out.”

The retired FBI profiler added that the suspect is likely not a sophisticated killer and was only β€œdeveloping” a murderous persona, which would make the individual more prone to speaking openly about the upcoming attack.Β 

Police dispatch audio revealed police were on the hunt for a person wearing all black and carrying a long rifle near the university library, Fox News Digital previously reported. Investigators later said they recovered a β€œhigh-powered, bolt-action rifle” near the scene after tracing the assassin’s suspected escape route.Β 

Police, citing images of a person of interest they obtained, reported the individual appeared to be college-age and β€œblended in well” with the crowd.Β 

β€œStarting at 11:52 a.m. this subject arrived on campus, shortly away from campus,” Utah Department of Public Safety Director Beau Mason told reporters Thursday. β€œWe have tracked his movements onto the campus through the stairwells, up to the roof across the roof to the shooting location. After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building and fled, off of the campus and into a neighborhood.”

Clemente, in his breakdown of the suspect’s β€œpost-offense behavior,” said the shooter likely did not map out a next step plan after carrying out the assassination, pointing to how police recovered the rifle tossed near the scene of the tragedy.Β 

β€œHe had no idea what was going to happen afterwards, what was going to happen during, whether he was going to get away with it or not. And, so, therefore, he didn’t plan out his after-game,” Clemente said.Β 

The retired FBI supervisory special agent added that the suspect is likely showing a guilty hand with odd behaviors, such as making an excuse of facing some type of emergency and needing to abruptly leave his home, job or school.

β€œSomebody knows this person. A number of people know this person. A number of people will have some kind of interaction with him, in which he will sort of try to avoid the spotlight until the heat is off of him. And so he may leave the area for kind of a last-minute emergency and then try to come back when everything’s calmed down,” Clemente said.Β 


Stay up to date on the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk


The FBI is offering up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspect or suspects, and FBI Director Kash Patel is heading to Utah Thursday.Β 

Clemente stressed to Fox News Digital that the FBI is investigating β€œeverything.”

β€œThey’re using whatever technology is available. They’re definitely looking at all videos. There’s literally hundreds and hundreds of videos out there from the students and the attendees at this rally. There’s also cameras out in the real world that I’m certain that they followed this person’s egress and ingress and, that’s how they found the weapon, and it is also how he’s going to be identified,” he said.Β 

Kirk, 31, leaves behind his wife Erika and their two children, ages 1 and 3.

His casket will be transported to Arizona on Air Force Two, Fox News Digital reported on Thursday.Β 

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