It’s a conspiracy theory that has dominated social media since Charlie Kirk was brutally shot at Utah Valley University.
An hour after the shot was fired, just five miles away, the plane took off from Provo Airport, then mysteriously disappeared from all radar systems.
This sparked a lot of wild theories about Kirk’s gunner quickly leaving the scene before catching a flight and disappearing into thin air.
But on Thursday afternoon, the owner of the private jet broke his silence to drop all claims linking him to the shooting.
Businessman Derek Maxfield outdid himself as the man behind the plane – registered as N888 kg – and ripped apart those who dragged his family to something.
He labeled the claims “unfounded theories” and sought to clarify why his Bombardier Challenger 300 disappeared from flight tracking systems on Wednesday.
Kirk was speaking to a right-wing audience at Utah Valley University when he took a bullet to the throat from a gunman on a nearby rooftop.
He immediately began bleeding and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead hours later.
Businessman Derek Maxfield (pictured with his wife) outdid himself as the man behind the plane – registered as N888 kg – and tore them apart
Flight tracking data confirmed the timeline, showing the jet departing Utah, heading south toward the Arizona border, briefly disappearing from public radar, and returning to Provo about an hour later.
By Thursday morning, Internet sleuths had noticed that the private jet had fallen off the radar just an hour after the attack and were trying to link it to the shooting.
But Maxfield quickly buried any claims, saying his jet was being phased out under their agreement with the FAA.
He said: “As is often the case, unfortunately, after such horrific and public events, various unfounded theories and suspicions about Crick’s murder immediately took hold on social media, including one that has unfairly affected our family.”
Maxfield said he spoke about “Setting the Record Straight” and went into detail about why his jet was allowed to disappear soon after takeoff.
He said the plane, owned by one of his companies, left Provo Airport around 1:20 p.m. MT for Leaf, Arizona.
He said there were two pilots but no passengers on board when it took off, and it landed again at 1:55 p.m. MT.
He continued: “Upon arrival, I, Derek Maxfield, boarded N888 kg along with seven additional passengers for the return trip to PVU.” It departed again at 2:40 PM MT and landed back in Provo at 3:15 PM MT.
“Radar services with air traffic control were terminated by mutual agreement between the Denver FAA Center and N888 kg approximately 10 miles from the landing PGA, consistent with generally accepted standard practice when flying in and out of non-controlled airports such as PGA.”
Derek Maxfield revealed that he and his wife Shelene are the owners of the jet that went down just miles from the university where Charlie Kirk was murdered
He continued: “Any suggestion that yesterday’s flights to N888 kg are in any way connected to Kirk’s tragic shooting is inaccurate, false and without any credible basis.
“To our knowledge, no one associated with yesterday’s flights operated by N888 kg has been contacted by law enforcement for any reason.”
Maxfield also wished Kirk’s family well after the tragedy, calling it “horrific and senseless.”
He said: ‘[My wife] Shelaine and I join our community, our state and our nation in mourning the death of Charlie Kirk, and we pray for his family and loved ones at this difficult and tragic time.’
“His death and the manner in which it occurred were both horrific and senseless. We pray that the extensive efforts by law enforcement to find Mr. Kirk’s killer will be swift and successful.”
He added: “We ask that you focus on praying for prayer and supporting those who have been deeply affected by yesterday’s events and the critical efforts of law enforcement to bring Mr. Kirk’s killer to justice.”
The FBI released an image of a person of interest on Thursday, showing the individual wearing a hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeved black shirt.
Hours after Kirk, 31, was pronounced dead, social media users spotted a jet leaving Provo Airport (PVU) about an hour after the shooting. He was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University, just miles from the airport.
Maxfield, who owns many businesses, including the marketing company Younique, was drawn into the online discussion as the hunt for the killer continued.
Conspiracy theories grew when it was revealed that police officers had failed to close the airspace surrounding the Provo Airport.
Retired FBI agent James Gagliano appeared on Fox News Thursday morning, saying the killer could have escaped through the airport.
He said, “Was there any pre-planning? Absolutely. You had to access the roof. That’s the most chilling thing about this manhunt.”
“If you come down from this roof, there’s an open-air parking lot behind this building, it’s a spitting distance from I-15.
“This is of great concern because this person could have been in the vehicle, exiting it, and miles away, three to five minutes from the time this shot went off.
“The Provo airport is only 45 minutes from there; those are all the things you have to consider. It’s going to be long and laborious.”
Aerospace engineer Byrson Sullivan also told the Daily Mail that such a gap in radar transmission is not uncommon.
He said: “Many planes fly every day without transponders, especially military or VIP flights. Planes turn off ADS-B data all the time. That’s not suspicious either.”
Kirk, a father of two, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The gun is believed to have opened fire from the roof of the Losee Center, where a shadowy figure was seen running just moments after the gun went off.
The building is 200 yards from where Kirk was discussing political issues with students and locals and had just answered a question about gun violence.
The FBI released an image of the person of interest on Thursday, showing the individual wearing a hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeved black shirt.
