Charlie Kirk Assassination Suspect Captured in Utah After Nationwide Manhunt
- Victor Nwoko
- Sep 12
- 3 min read
The suspect in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been captured, President Donald Trump announced Friday, marking a major breakthrough in an investigation that has heightened concerns over political violence in the United States.
“With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump said in a live interview. He revealed that a minister working with law enforcement helped turn the suspect in to authorities. “Somebody that was very close to him said, ‘Hmm, that’s him,’” Trump added.
Authorities have identified the suspect as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the case. Robinson was taken into custody just two days after Kirk was gunned down during a campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem.
The FBI and Justice Department have not commented, but officials in Utah confirmed a press conference was scheduled for later Friday. The arrest came hours after investigators had released new photographs of the suspect and appealed to the public for help, suggesting authorities had been uncertain of his whereabouts.
Kirk, 30, co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was fatally shot in the neck while speaking to students during the opening event of his “American Comeback Tour.” Utah’s governor described the killing as a political assassination.
Authorities recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle near the crime scene. Investigators said the shooter fired a single shot from a rooftop before escaping into nearby woods.
Grisly videos of the attack circulated online, showing Kirk suddenly clutching his neck as blood poured out, while horrified spectators screamed and scattered.
“This was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the FBI’s top agent in Salt Lake City. “There is no doubt this was deliberate.”
Trump condemned the killing and praised Kirk’s influence among young Republicans. “He wanted to help young people, and he didn’t deserve this. He was really a good person,” Trump said. He also announced Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City on Thursday, with Vance later posting a tribute online. “So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” he wrote.
Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two to Phoenix, where Turning Point USA is headquartered. Trump confirmed he would attend the funeral.
The assassination occurred during a heated campus debate about gun violence. Just before the shooting, Kirk had been responding to a student’s question on the issue. The event had sparked controversy, with nearly 1,000 students signing a petition to bar his appearance, but the university defended its commitment to free speech.
Witnesses described scenes of panic, with attendees barricading themselves in classrooms using tables, chairs, and even an electric pencil sharpener cord tied to a door handle.
The attack drew bipartisan condemnation, with Democrats joining Trump and Republican leaders in denouncing the killing. The motive remains under investigation as federal and state authorities continue gathering evidence.
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