First look at possible 'wooded area' where rifle was found after deadly UVU shooting

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A manhunt continues for Charlie Kirk's shooter at Utah Valley University.
A rifle was found in a wooded area on campus after the shooting.
Neighbors express unease as police search nearby homes.

OREM — After Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, a manhunt ensued and was still going as of Thursday afternoon. By then, FBI officials had a few pieces of information, including the fact that a rifle was found in a "wooded area" at the school.

KSL-TV took a first glimpse at the possible wooded area where police found the gun Thursday morning. The area remained blocked off with police tape, surrounded by police cars next to campus. Officers at the scene could not confirm officially that the gun had been found there but said it was still an active crime scene.

The possibility that the shooter could have fled near their homes had neighbors in the area on edge. Several cellphone videos show police carrying assault rifles, walking through neighborhoods just northwest of campus.

"Being so close, it definitely is unnerving. He walked through here or may have walked around this area," said Joshua Bingham, a UVU student.

Bingham lives right there with his young family and witnessed 10 to 15 officers going door to door.

"There was a set of police officers that were stationed almost immediately right here," Bingham said.

Doorbell camera video captured the first police cars arriving at the scene on campus.

"I hope they find the guy soon, because everybody here is really on edge," said Morgan Vandagriff, who lives next to the wooded area.

Vandagriff's backyard borders the area, where investigators focused a lot of their activity on Wednesday and blocked it off with even more police tape.

"That's right, but they did not tell us why, and it was already all gone this morning," Vandagriff said.

Neighbors are holding their breath, hoping the shooter is found soon.

"It was very unnerving, I don't lock my doors usually, but I sure did after this," said Laurel Steele, another neighbor.

For several hours on Wednesday, the houses just northwest of campus were on lockdown. The order has since been lifted, but the "wooded area" on campus remained closed Thursday.

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