Officials confirmed that a suspect is now in custody related to the tragic shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, with the announcement made on Friday.
Tyler Robinson has been named as the suspected shooter who attacked Kirk on Wednesday, as reported by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in a press event held in the state.
“We got him,” stated Cox at the press conference.
This development came right after President Donald Trump announced on ‘Fox & Friends’ that they had someone detained in connection with the case.
“I’m quite certain we’ve apprehended the person involved,” Trump expressed earlier in the day.
Later, he commented, “The facts remain, we have the individual we believe is responsible for the shooting.”
Trump mentioned that he was briefed about the suspect’s arrest just moments before his scheduled appearance on the talk show.
“Essentially, someone very close to him turned him in,” the president explained.
It was revealed that the suspect’s father had reached out to law enforcement, persuading his son to surrender.
The father recognized his son from photos shared by authorities and advised him to turn himself in. Initially, the son resisted but ultimately agreed.
During the interview, Trump asserted that the shooter deserves the death penalty, affirming Utah’s legal stance on capital punishment.
“Utah does have the death penalty, and with a competent governor like Spencer Cox in charge, he has made it clear he supports pursuing it in this case,” Trump elaborated.
In recent footage shown at a news briefing conducted by officials on Thursday evening, the suspect could be seen descending from the building’s rooftop at Utah Valley University, where the harassment unfolded.
In a bid to solve the case, the FBI announced a reward of up to $100,000 for any information that leads to identifying the shooter.
Earlier, photos of a person of interest were shared by Utah authorities. In these images, the individual was seen heading up the building where the shooting occurred, wearing a shirt featuring American flag prints and lugging a black backpack.
According to Cox, authorities have already amassed over 7,000 tips and completed around 200 interviews.
As the search for the perpetrator continued, officials shared that they are tirelessly following leads to locate this person, who is suspected to be of college age.
The FBI also stated they might have found the weapon used in the attack; a high-powered bolt action rifle was discovered hidden in a wooded area nearby.
Law enforcement sources indicated that the weapon was an old Mauser .30-06 bolt-action rifle, found wrapped in a towel—matching the suspected assailant’s route.
Preliminary findings revealed that a spent cartridge was still chambered—with three other unspent ones decorated with markings that law enforcement speculated might indicate a sort of anti-fascist or transgender reference, although the implications remain unclear.
According to officials, the suspect appeared on the Orem campus at approximately 11:52 am, traversing through stairwells before reaching the rooftop where the shooting originated. Around 12:20 pm, Kirk was shot and taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Following the incident, the suspect quickly fled the scene, exiting the building and disappearing into a nearby neighborhood. Officials are actively working with local residences, referencing security video footage, and they are in contact with witnesses to find actionable hints.
“Let me be perfectly clear: No matter who you are, we will track you down. We will ensure you are brought to justice, and we will hold you accountable for your actions,” Cox declared during the last briefing, labeling the shooting a “political assassination.”
State authorities are also preparing to ensure that if this goes to court, they will pursue the death penalty.
