Brian Entin and Steve Moore Analyze the Chaotic First Hours of the Charlie Kirk Manhunt

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Brian Entin and Steve Moore Analyze the Chaotic First Hours of the Charlie Kirk Manhunt

NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin reports from outside Utah Valley University on the evening of Charlie Kirk's assassination, describing a confusing day in which two different persons of interest were detained and released, while FBI Director Kash Patel's tweet claiming a subject was in custody appeared to contradict the more cautious tone officials struck at their own press conference. Entin brings in former FBI agent Steve Moore, who explains why early confusion over persons of interest is standard procedure rather than a sign of incompetence, and why a roughly 12-hour gap without an arrest isn't unusual given how the FBI splits resources across reviewing surveillance footage, tracing the shooter's vantage point, and working with Utah Highway Patrol to monitor the state's limited highway routes. Moore offers a striking technical assessment of the shot itself, arguing that a true professional sniper would never treat the neck as a primary target, and explains why Utah's rural geography, with only two major freeways, actually works against the shooter rather than helping him disappear.

Categories: Analysis
September 11, 2025

Brian Entin Reports From a Chaotic Scene at Utah Valley University

Brian Entin reports from outside Utah Valley University on the evening of the shooting, describing a massive law enforcement presence including the FBI, Homeland Security, ATF, and state and local police. He describes looking through windows into the courtyard where Kirk was speaking, still left untouched with abandoned backpacks, chairs, and an overturned tent.

"It's just a terrible, terrible scene back there," Entin says.

A Day of Confusion Over Persons of Interest

Entin walks through a confusing sequence of events from earlier in the day, starting with an older man briefly suspected of being the shooter after a viral social media video, who turned out not to be the suspect, followed by a second person of interest taken in for questioning.

Kash Patel's Tweet and the Press Conference Disconnect

Entin notes a striking contrast between FBI Director Kash Patel's social media post claiming a subject was in custody and the noticeably more cautious tone officials struck during their own press conference.

"The vibe at the press conference was different than the vibe of Kash Patel's tweet," Entin says, noting that the police chief also referenced limitations in the quality of campus surveillance footage.

Back to Square One

Entin reports that the person of interest discussed at the press conference was ultimately released, leaving the manhunt active with no suspect in custody as of that evening.

"We're back at square one with an active manhunt," Entin says.

Former FBI Agent Steve Moore Joins the Investigation

Entin brings in former FBI agent Steve Moore to help explain what's likely happening behind the scenes. Moore says the early confusion is standard in high-profile cases.

"Washington, D.C. is already calling and saying, 'What have you got? What's going on?'... what you'll say is, 'We've got somebody, we're not sure of what's going on with them yet.' And what they hear is, they got him," Moore says.

How the FBI Splits Its Resources

Moore explains that multiple FBI teams work simultaneously on different aspects of the case rather than one unified effort.

"It is not one FBI team investigating this. It is three to four looking at different things simultaneously," Moore says, describing teams reviewing campus surveillance footage, tracing the shooter's likely rooftop vantage point, and analyzing the bullet's trajectory.

Was This Really a Professional Sniper Shot?

Asked about the skill required for the shot, Moore, a former FBI sniper himself, offers a pointed assessment.

"This person missed the head, the entire head of the target, and hit him in the neck. This, in actual professional sniping, would be considered a wild miss," Moore says, explaining that snipers train to aim for the head or chest, never the neck. "Nobody who is a serious sniper considers the neck a prime aim point."

Why No Photo Has Been Released Yet

Moore explains the absence of a released suspect photo or video as a deliberate choice rather than a gap in evidence.

"Usually, when they're asking the public for help, it's because they don't have anything. If they're not asking for the public's help, they don't need the public's help right now," Moore says, noting that public tip lines generate enormous volumes of mostly unusable leads that can slow down an active investigation.

Utah's Geography Works Against the Shooter

Moore, who previously worked as an FBI agent in Utah, argues the state's limited highway network actually makes it harder for a suspect to escape compared to a major city.

"If I was that shooter, I would want this to have happened in LA, where there is no way the police could even try to cover roads... In Utah, you are channeled," Moore says, describing how Utah Highway Patrol can monitor key chokepoints along the state's two main freeways. "That person's not going to get away unscathed if they try to leave Utah."

What Happens Next

Moore predicts hundreds of additional FBI agents will arrive to assist, with investigators combing through social media activity and footage from prior Charlie Kirk events to identify anyone who appeared repeatedly near the rooftop in question.

"I don't expect this to be a who-done-it," Moore says. "I would say right now that that person's best option is to turn themselves in."

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