US President Donald Trump on Friday confirmed that a suspect linked to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been taken into custody, bringing an end to a nationwide manhunt.
“I think we have him,” Trump told Fox News in an interview, adding that a person who knew the suspect had turned him in. The President described the killing as a “heinous assassination.”
Kirk, an author, podcast host and co-founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, was shot dead on Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem. A sniper fired a single round that struck his neck while he was answering a question on mass shootings in front of 3,000 people, prompting panic among attendees.
Details of the Fatal Shooting
Authorities said the shooter arrived on campus shortly before the event and climbed stairwells to reach a rooftop before firing the fatal shot. He then jumped off and fled into a nearby neighborhood.
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Investigators later recovered a “high-powered, bolt-action” rifle in a wooded area, along with palm prints and footprints that provided crucial leads.
Earlier, officials had released grainy surveillance images of a “person of interest” described as a college-aged male. The suspect was seen wearing a black long-sleeved shirt with an eagle and US flag design, dark sunglasses, and a baseball cap. Authorities noted that he had “blended in well” on campus prior to the attack.
