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A suspect involved in the deadly shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university has been apprehended, according to President Donald Trump on Friday, bringing an end to a high-stakes manhunt that he described as dealing with a “heinous assassination.”
Kirk’s assailant has managed to stay ahead of law enforcement and federal agents for more than a day after the shooting on Wednesday, when a sniper fired a single shot that struck Kirk during a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, resulting in his death.
“I believe we’ve caught him,” Trump told Fox News in an interview, mentioning that someone close to the suspect had turned him in.
Authorities previously reported discovering the bolt-action rifle believed to be used in Kirk’s killing and released images of a person of interest.
The FBI circulated grainy images taken from security cameras showing an individual dressed in a black top with an eagle emblem, black sunglasses, and a dark baseball cap. The long-sleeve shirt appeared to feature an image of a bald eagle flying across a U.S. flag.
Kirk, a prominent author, podcast host, and a close supporter of Trump, has been influential in rallying younger voters for the Republican Party.
FBI and local officials indicated that the shooter arrived on campus just minutes before Kirk’s event, a debate titled “Prove Me Wrong,” held in front of around 3,000 attendees at Utah Valley, approximately 40 miles south of Salt Lake City.
Security footage showed the suspect ascending stairwells to access a roof, from where he discharged the firearm at Kirk. The incident occurred while Kirk was addressing an audience question about mass shootings, and the bullet struck his neck, causing panic among the crowd.
The gunman then leapt off the roof and fled into a neighboring neighborhood, according to FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls.
Investigators recovered a “high-powered, bolt-action” rifle from a wooded area nearby, and they are analyzing it along with palm prints and footprints for clues.
On Thursday, with classes canceled, authorities sealed off the building’s roof and surrounding woods with yellow tape as they conducted forensic searches.
The suspect, believed to be of college age, appeared to have blended into the campus environment seamlessly, mentioned Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason.
Kirk, co-founder and president of the conservative student organization Turning Point USA, was on campus to participate in a planned 15-stop “American Comeback Tour” of U.S. colleges. The event in Utah was part of this series.
His death has prompted widespread outrage and strong condemnations of political violence across party lines, including from foreign governments.
Trump announced plans to award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Married and the father of two young children, Kirk was celebrated by Republicans as a charismatic voice supporting right-wing positions on issues such as race, gender, immigration, religion, and gun control. He often actively engaged with critics from across the political spectrum, frequently inviting debate during his public appearances.
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