Why Did Shooter Flee Rooftop With Rifle?

Taking a closer look at the Losee Center roof and escape route

As I wrote earlier today, the ATF has purportedly found the murder weapon used to assassinate Charlie Kirk — “an older imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the campus,” according to the ATF.

The following is an aerial photograph of the Losee Center rooftop, displaying the covered walkway (red-colored structure on east side of roof) that provided an easy escape route. As I remarked in another post earlier today, it seems remarkable that this obvious sniper’s perch wasn’t secured. A simple campus security guard in a lawn chair could have done the job.

It strikes me as odd that the shooter would flee from this roof with the rifle. Those who have tried running with an old .30 caliber rifle know that doing so significantly reduces one’s speed and mobility. Moreover, running away WITH A RIFLE—even if the barrel and stock are broken down and wrapped in a towel—is still the last thing you would do if you were trying to make a clean escape.

Consider that if someone stopped you while fleeing without a rifle, you could say that you were running scared from the shot. You could not claim this if you were carrying a rifle.