Police have confirmed that the man initially arrested in connection with the shooting near Charlie Kirk was not the actual shooter.
Authorities said the suspect was mistakenly apprehended and has since been released, though the investigation is ongoing.
Officials are now focused on identifying and locating the real suspect, who remains at large.
No additional arrests have been made, and security measures around public events have been temporarily heightened as law enforcement works to track down the individual responsible.
Kirk remains hospitalized after being shot in the neck during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Sources with TPUSA reportedly told conservative journalist Nick Sotor that his condition is “stabilizing,” but still critical.
Shots came from a building roughly 200 yards away from the tent where he was speaking, Ellen Treanor, Utah Valley University’s associate vice president for strategic communication management, told Fox News.
She added that Kirk was swiftly escorted off campus by his security team immediately after the incident.
Kirk, 31, is a father of two young children with his wife, Erika, whom he married in 2021.
Erika, a former Miss Arizona USA and podcast host, has often spoken publicly about faith and family alongside her husband.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of public figures, prompting officials to review protocols for protecting speakers at campus events.
Police are urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.
WATCH:
