Last night, US President Donald Trump announced that the suspect in the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk in the US had been arrested. Mr. Kirk is the founder of the organization Turning Point USA, which promotes conservative policies in schools and is a staunch supporter of President Trump. Mr. Kirk was shot during a debate on many hot topics in front of thousands of people on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem City, Utah on September 10.
Investigators said the gunman arrived at the scene minutes before the event began. Security camera footage showed a man climbing stairs to the roof of the building opposite Kirk. While answering a question about the number of mass shootings in the United States, Kirk was shot once in the neck and collapsed, with the audience running around him.
The FBI released a video showing a person climbing down from the roof of the building where the shooter opened fire, leaving fingerprints and other DNA. The person then walked across the street and into a wooded area near the university, where investigators found a Mauser hand-loading rifle wrapped in a towel. According to the AP, the gun contained one shell casing and three unfired bullets.
In an interview with Fox News on September 12, President Trump said that the suspect’s relatives had “turned him over” to authorities. In addition, the leader hoped that the suspect would be charged and sentenced to death, something that Utah Governor Spencer Cox has said he would pursue.
At a press conference last night, Governor Cox and FBI Director Kash Patel said the suspect, Tyler Robinson (22 years old), living in Utah, was arrested at 10 p.m. on September 11 (Eastern US time). Mr. Cox believes the suspect acted alone but noted that the investigation is still ongoing. Previously, the FBI released many photos of the suspect and offered a reward of $100,000 for information leading to his arrest. Billionaire Bill Ackman of Pershing Square Fund Management Company posted on social network X saying he would contribute an additional $1 million.
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