September 12th 2025.
In a major development in the investigation of the targeted killing of political figure Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the suspect has been apprehended. Trump revealed this information during a live interview on Fox News Channel, stating that a minister who is also involved in law enforcement turned the suspect in to authorities. He added that someone close to the suspect had identified him, leading to his capture.
According to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the suspect in custody is a 22-year-old from Utah named Tyler Robinson. The FBI and the Justice Department have not yet commented on the arrest, but a news conference is scheduled for later in the day in Utah, where the killing took place on a college campus earlier in the week. The news of the arrest came after the FBI and state officials asked for the public's help by releasing additional photographs of the suspect, indicating that they were unsure of his whereabouts.
Kirk, who co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA, was killed by a single shot in what police have deemed a targeted attack. Utah's governor has called it a political assassination. The shooter, who jumped off a roof and fled into the nearby woods after the shooting, was armed with a high-powered bolt-action rifle, which was recovered at the scene. Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of the shooting and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Trump expressed his condolences for Kirk's family and praised the victim as a good person who wanted to help young people. He also announced that he plans to award Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, have visited with Kirk's family and posted a remembrance on social media, highlighting their friendship and Kirk's contributions to the administration.
The shooting, which was captured on multiple videos that were shared online, has sparked widespread condemnation from both Democrats and Republicans. The videos show Kirk speaking into a microphone before suddenly being shot. He was then seen reaching for his neck as blood gushed out. The shooter, who blended into the crowd due to their college-age appearance, fired one shot from a rooftop before disappearing.
The event at Utah Valley University, which was the first stop on Kirk's "American Comeback Tour", had caused controversy on campus with a petition calling for his appearance to be barred. However, the university affirmed their commitment to free speech and intellectual dialogue. Attendees of the event, including students, barricaded themselves in classrooms after the shooting, using tables to block the door and protect themselves.
As the investigation continues and the suspect is brought to justice, residents near the campus have been advised to stay indoors and lock their doors. The shooting has sparked concern and fear among the community, but the swift action of law enforcement in apprehending the suspect has brought some sense of relief. The incident has also prompted bipartisan condemnation, as political violence continues to plague the United States.
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