As of Saturday, Sept. 13, this blog is no longer being updated in real-time. Here is where you can find the latest updates on the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
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‘Hey fascist, catch’: Authorities nab suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting, but motive still unclear
OREM, Utah — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Friday announced the arrest of a 22-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk after the man confessed to family members.
“We got him!” Cox exclaimed at a morning news conference.
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‘I love you baby,’ Erika Kirk breaks silence on husband’s killing
In a teary-eyed address in the studio where her slain husband hosted his namesake show, Erika Kirk spoke vulnerably about the grief and anguish she was going through as a wife and mother.
“When I got home last night, Gigi, our daughter, just ran into my arms ... she goes, ‘Where’s daddy?’” she said Friday. “What do you tell a 3-year-old?”
In her first public remarks since her husband, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated at Utah Valley University, Erika said he “laid down his life for me, for our nation and for our children.”
“He showed the ultimate and true covenantal love,” she said.
Erika Kirk said that the movement Charlie built will never die and that no one will ever forget her husband’s name.
“It will become stronger, bolder, louder and greater than ever,” she said. “My husband’s mission will not end.”
She urged everyone to join “a Bible-believing church” and get involved in Kirk’s movement by visiting the website of Turning Point USA, the organization he led. She said that organization’s work will continue, including its ongoing campus tour and upcoming “America Fest” event.
“Charlie, baby, Charlie, I promise I will never let your legacy die,” she said.
Erika thanked President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance for their steadfast support of her family.
“Mr. President, my husband loved you, and he knew that you loved him too,” she said.
She and her husband met in New York City at a Turning Point USA event and were engaged in 2020 before marrying and settling in Scottsdale, Ariz., where Erika is from.
‘Charlie, I love you baby,” she said. “Rest in the arms of our Lord.”
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What we know about Tyler Robinson, the young suspect in Charlie Kirk killing
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, grew up in a quiet, close-knit community in Washington, Utah, where most neighbors attended the same neighborhood church and know each other by their first name.
“I’m shocked,” said Kristin Schwiermann, a 66-year-old neighbor. “That’s not the kid I knew.”
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What the writings on the bullet casings from Charlie Kirk’s killer might mean
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The Times’ Anita Chabria spoke with Joan Donovan, an assistant professor of journalism at Boston University and an expert in extremism, to better understand what the messages meant. Here’s what Donovan had to say.
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After Charlie Kirk’s shooting, how will security change for polarizing public figures?
Less than 24 hours after a bullet whizzed across a Utah college campus and claimed the life of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, polarizing figures from across the political spectrum swiftly canceled public events.
Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) decided to postpone a North Carolina stop on the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour this weekend, while Trump allies Stephen K. Bannon and Rudolph W. Giuliani reportedly nixed plans for a New York gathering due to “increased security concerns.”
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Charlie Kirk’s supporters have declared him a ‘martyr.’ Some want vengeance.
A few hours after Charlie Kirk was killed, Sean Feucht, an influential right-wing Christian worship leader, filmed a selfie video from his home in California, his eyes brimming with tears.
The shooting of one of the nation’s most prominent conservative activists, Feucht declared, was no less than “a line in the sand” in a country descending into a spiritual darkness.
“The enemy thinks that he won, that there was a battle that was won today,” he said, referencing Satan. “No, man, there’s going to be millions of bold voices raised up out of the sacrifice and the martyrdom of Charlie Kirk.”
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FBI Director Patel hails arrest in Kirk killing
Kash Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, thanked state and local officials for their cooperation in capturing Tyler Robinson, 22, who is now in the Utah County Jail.
“In 36 hours — 33 hours to be precise — we have made historic progress for Charlie, Governor Cox,” Patel said. “Our partnership has been absolutely incredible. These last few days, our partnership will endure.”
Patel has faced intense pressure to bring an arrest in the case.
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Charlie Kirk’s killing evokes memories of a 1975 assassination attempt
Charlie Kirk had barely been declared dead this week when the internet exploded with cries of anger and blame. Surely a far-left loon had killed Kirk, the conservative firebrand. If not, leftists had been “poisoning the minds” of Americans for years, creating the atmosphere for violence, asserted Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
As a Californian, one of my childhood memories was of the killing of Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles. My most unforgettable interview as a cub reporter was with Sara Jane Moore, the suburban homemaker and sometime accountant who tried to shoot President Ford. Those experiences and many others leave me wondering how so many people are so certain they know the motive for Kirk’s slaying.
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What was the motive for Kirk killing?
While officials did not specifically offer a motive for the killing of Charlie Kirk, they offered key clues.
Citing etchings found on ammunition inside the weapon — including “Hey, fascist! Catch!” — Utah Gov. Cox said. “I think that speaks for itself.”
Investigators interviewed a family member of Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old in custody, who stated that Robinson had become more political in recent years,” Cox said in a news conference.
“The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to Sept. 10. And in the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU.”
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‘Hey, fascist!’ More messages etched into ammo
Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah said that in addition to “Hey, fascist! Catch!” ammunition recovered from the weapon used in the shooting of Charlie Kirk said “Bella ciao.”
According to Wikipedia, that is a song “dedicated to the partisans of the Italian resistance, who fought against the occupying troops of Nazi Germany and the collaborationist Fascist forces during the liberation of Italy.”
The etching also apparently bore references to video games including: “Up arrow, right arrow, and three down arrow symbols,” Cox said.
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Suspect had become ‘more political’
Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah said the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, had become more political and extreme in his views in recent years.
“Investigators interviewed a family member of Robinson who stated that Robinson had become more political in recent years,” Cox said in a news conference.
“The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10. And in the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU.”
It was his father and a family friend who helped link the FBI to Robinson.
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Computer messages key in probe
Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah said in a news conference a friend of the 22-year-old suspect’s showed investigators social app messages in which the suspect allegedly described planning out an attack.
They included detailed plans including a drop point for the weapon, Cox said.
“The messages also refer to engraving bullets and a mention of a scope, and the rifle being unique,” Cox said.
Those messages were key in the case, he said.
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Trump demands speedy trial for Kirk suspect
President Donald Trump, speaking on Fox News, called for a quick trial for the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk.
“I call it quick trials because in China, they do have quick trials. You know, they don’t wait six years,” he said.
Trump bemoaned how long some trials can last. “What happens here is you go through seven, eight years,” he told the hosts of “Fox & Friends,” adding sometimes the proceedings are needlessly delayed because “...he wasn’t treated right in grade school, and it’s his teacher’s fault, and it’s the government’s fault.”
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Etching found on ammunition
Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah added that etchings were found on ammunition inside the recovered weapon believed to have been used in the Charlie Kirk shooting.
One read, according to Cox: “Hey fascist! Catch!”
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Trump says suspect’s father helped
President Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News early Friday morning, said: “I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him.”
He added the suspect’s father was involved in identifying the suspect.
The suspect was identified as Tyler Robinson.
Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah added that a “family member” of the suspect contacted a friend, who informed authorities.
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Abcarian: The killing of Charlie Kirk undermines the basis of our democracy
The killing of Charlie Kirk is a national tragedy.
It is hard to overestimate the enormity of what happened Wednesday on the campus of Utah Valley University, where a civil debate about politics taking place under sunny skies turned into a bloody horror show with what are certain to be lasting national consequences.
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Charlie Kirk shooting rouses young conservatives at Utah university
By Thursday night, much of what was still accessible on Utah Valley University’s campus had been draped in red plastic ribbons in a tribute to Charlie Kirk.
Jillian Green said students chose red to represent Kirk and his political ideology.
“I’ve been doing this all day,” she said as she tied another red sheet around a street pole.
“It’s a whole community thing. When an assassination happens at your college — and three minutes from where I live — I’m like, I gotta show support around the community.”
The 20-year-old college student and staunch Republican rallied a small group of friends to help her cover the campus in red ribbons in honor of the Turning Point USA founder, but she said many others were traumatized from witnessing the shooting or worried about the shooter still at large.
But she said she had to get out and do something. And she thinks many other young conservatives like her will feel the same in the days to come.
“I think it’s going to change a lot,” said Green, a Utah native. “A lot of people are going to be sharing their voice a lot more — I hope so. I think this kind of woke a sleeping giant. … People are outraged and very upset that he [was killed] when he was advocating for so many of us.”
Koby Herrera, a fellow student at the university, also felt like the death could mark a shift in political history, noting that it could further raise Kirk’s influence.
“He had a voice, and I feel like his voice is bigger now that he’s in the grave,” said Herrera, 22. Another group of students stood among a growing crowd of media on the campus, holding up signs that said “We are not afraid,” and “Charlie Kirk, American Hero.”
The sentiments shared by conservative students echoed those by President Trump on Wednesday, who called Kirk a martyr and said his voice had become “bigger and grander than ever before” as a result of the assassination.
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Authorities share video of suspect jumping off of roof after Charlie Kirk shooting
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On Thursday evening, authorities shared a video of a suspect running across a roof at Utah Valley University and then jumping off of it after the shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
The video shows a man in dark clothing running to the edge of the building, then using his hands to lower himself over to the edge before jumping to the ground.
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said that the suspect left palm impressions on the roof as well as some other smudges and authorities are seeking to collect DNA. The suspect also left a shoe imprint identified as from a Converse tennis shoe.
Mason presented photos of the suspect wearing gray Converse shoes, blue jeans and a black long-sleeved T-shirt with an American flag and an eagle.
“We want to make sure that they [the images and video] get as much attention as possible so that we can get help from the public in tracking down this evil human being,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.
Cox said that more than 7,000 tips had been submitted by the public — the largest number of leads the FBI had received from a single incident since the Boston bombing in 2013. He said that law enforcement had completed more than 200 interviews so far and was processing a significant amount of forensic evidence at a state lab and federal labs on the East Coast.
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Vance, wife escort Kirk’s body to Arizona aboard Air Force Two
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Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, escorted Charlie Kirk’s casket to Phoenix aboard Air Force Two on Thursday evening.
The Vances flew to Salt Lake City International Airport on Air Force Two to meet Kirk’s wife, Erika, and their two children earlier in the day. They then traveled together, along with other members of Kirk’s family and some of his friends, to Arizona.
Air Force Two landed about 4:45 p.m. at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, where the casket was unloaded and taken by hearse to a Phoenix mortuary, the CBS TV station in Phoenix reported.
Kirk and his family have a home in Scottsdale, while his organization Turning Point USA is based out of Phoenix.
“Welcome home, Charlie. You didn’t deserve it. May God bless your family,” someone announced on the air traffic control tower frequency after the plane landed, the NBC TV station in Phoenix reported.
President Trump told reporters Thursday that he planned to travel to Phoenix to attend Kirk’s funeral. The date of the ceremony has not been set.
In a statement on Kirk’s death, Vance acknowledged the strong influence Kirk had had on his own career and the support Kirk offered as he stepped into the political spotlight.
“When I became the VP nominee — something Charlie advocated for both in public and private — Charlie was there for me,” Vance said.
“Charlie was constantly calling and texting, checking on our family and offering guidance and prayers,” he continued. “Some of our most successful events were organized not by the campaign, but by TPUSA.”
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Authorities release more photos of man sought in Charlie Kirk’s killing
The Utah Department of Public Safety released additional images Thursday evening of a “person of interest” sought in the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
The four additional photos follow two grainy images shared by the FBI on Wednesday morning showing a man wearing a black, long-sleeved T-shirt, with what appears to be an American flag and an eagle, dark sunglasses and a baseball cap.
The new images are similar but offer a closer look at the man’s clothing as authorities continue to ask the public’s help in finding him. The photos appear to show gray Converse shoes, a large black backpack and a baseball cap with a triangle.
Members of the public are asked to report any relevant information to the FBI’s online tip line or by calling the FBI at (800) 225-5324.
The Utah Department of Public Safety said earlier Wednesday that authorities had received more than 200 tips so far.
“Investigators rely on the public for help to bring justice in this case,” stated the department. “Please continue to submit any information — no tip is too small.”
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible for the killing of Charlie Kirk.
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Admiration for Charlie Kirk — if not his beliefs — cut across political lines
Charlie Kirk, the conservative millennial influencer who galvanized young Americans to support the GOP and was assassinated this week in Utah, was the most influential modern-day catalyst of shifting voting trends among fledgling voters, according to Republican and Democratic strategists.
Kirk founded the nonprofit Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18, and it grew into a force that promoted conservative views on high school and college campuses across the nation.
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Memorial grows outside hospital where Kirk was rushed after shooting
A growing memorial has formed outside Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where Charlie Kirk was rushed after he was shot in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday.
Flowers, candles, American flags, balloons and signs were amassed around a sign for the hospital as families, young professionals and out-of-towners arrived to show their respect.
One man stood roadside for at least an hour asking people to “Honk if Charlie Kirk deserved better.” Another sign read, “Charlie Kirk, American Hero.”
Evelyn Frandsen, 24, brought flowers to the spot Thursday afternoon with her best friend, Jordan Ellis.
“He should have been protected here,” Frandsen said, noting she and her friend were both graduates of Utah Valley University. She hadn’t yet sorted through her emotions but felt a mix of angry and sad and scared — and helpless.
“It doesn’t feel real,” she said, as her best friend teared up. “It’s devastating.”
Frandsen said she was glad to see others memorializing Kirk, but at the same time, she felt like the small display was a “meager representation of what he was.”
“It makes me angry, because he truly had a gift,” she said.
Ellis said she considered going to the event to see Kirk but didn’t. Neither can believe what happened — especially in their religious, conservative community.
“It’s really, really surprising,” Frandsen said.
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Authorities release video of Charlie Kirk shooting suspect jumping off roof
OREM, Utah — Authorities released a video Thursday evening of a suspect running across the roof of a building at Utah Valley University and jumping to the ground as the search for a gunman in the killing of influential right-wing activist Charlie Kirk continued.
The man was described as wearing blue jeans, a baseball cap with a triangle, Converse tennis shoes and a dark long-sleeved T-shirt with what appears to be American flag and an eagle.
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Authorities delay briefing due to ‘rapid developments’ in Kirk shooting investigation
A briefing meant to update the press and public has been postponed due to “rapid developments” in the investigation into the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, authorities said.
It was unclear when the briefing would be held. Hillary Koellner, a spokesperson for the Utah Department of Public Safety, said an updated time would be released Thursday.
Meanwhile, FBI agents and federal law enforcement appeared to be focused on a neighborhood behind Utah Valley University, where agents could be seen canvassing neighbors for video or information.
One under-construction home that abuts a patch of trees had crime tape surrounding it Thursday morning.
“It was hard to sleep last night,” said Truman Van Cott, who helped agents connect with his neighbors who had security camera footage.
He tried to attend Kirk’s event with his grandma on Wednesday, but said it was so crowded they couldn’t get close enough to see him. Then, chaos erupted.
“We saw the stampede of people,” he said. “Everyone was in shock.”
He said they were able to get away quickly, hopping in a car with a friend, but have been a bit on edge since as authorities continue to scour their neighborhood.
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Ben Shapiro, influential right-wing pundit, postpones SoCal appearances
A pair of Southern California events featuring Ben Shapiro, an influential right-wing pundit and founder of The Daily Wire, have been postponed following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at an outdoor event in Utah.
Shapiro had been expected to attend a book signing at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley Wednesday night, and was also scheduled to speak at the Young America’s Foundation Wendy P. McCaw Reagan Ranch Roundtable in Santa Barbara early Thursday afternoon.
“Out of respect for Charlie, we have canceled YAF’s event in Santa Barbara,” Scott Walker, president of the Young America’s Foundation, wrote in a message online. “But we will not stop. Doing so would mean that the evil assassin who did this wins … The best way to honor Charlie’s life is to continue his work.”
Both organizations signaled that their events would be rescheduled.
Shapiro, who has slightly diverged from the Trump administration in recent months on subjects such as tariff policy, the war in Ukraine, and the appointment of Steve Witkoff as Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, remains a prolific and popular voice in right-wing politics.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Shapiro shared an anecdote about the time he met Kirk — then 18 — and told a friend, “That kid is going to be the head of the RNC [Republican National Committee] one day.”
“Charlie became even bigger and more important than that,” Shapiro wrote. “It was a privilege to watch this principled man stand up for his beliefs and create the single most important conservative political organization in America … we must pick up the baton where Charlie left it, fighting for the things he believed in so passionately.”
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Utah community members pay respects to Charlie Kirk
As the nation reels following the killing of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, some paid their respects by bringing flowers or American flags to Utah Valley University.
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Video: Investigators track Charlie Kirk’s shooter’s movements
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FBI offers reward for information on suspect
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Charlie Kirk’s spiritual advice came from a Ventura County pastor
As the nation reeled following the killing of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, one epicenter of mourning was the Ventura County church whose pastor helped inspire Kirk’s cheerleading for President Trump and jeremiads against the secular left.
“My friend Charlie Kirk was murdered today by a coward. His life will be remembered for many wonderful things,” Pastor Rob McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.
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MSNBC severs ties with Matthew Dowd over Charlie Kirk comments
Political analyst Matthew Dowd lost his contributor role at MSNBC because of comments he made about Charlie Kirk after the young right-wing activist was killed Wednesday.
Shortly after Kirk was shot to death while speaking on stage at Utah Valley State University, Dowd told MSNBC anchor Katy Tur that “hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which then lead to hateful actions.”
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Charlie Kirk shooting reignites campus free-speech issues in Trump era
The fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at a Utah college event has put a spotlight on tensions over free speech at universities, where conservatives, including President Trump, have said campuses are intolerant of right-wing speakers and thought.
Kirk, a Trump ally widely credited for revitalizing Republican movements among college students, was speaking before thousands at Utah Valley University when he was shot in the neck. The event was similar to dozens he has held over the years — including at UCLA, USC and Cal State campuses. Kirk typically would sit under a tent to debate attendees who challenged his right-wing views on immigration, gender identity, criminal policy, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, abortion and other hot-button subjects.
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Trump to posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom
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President Donald Trump gives brief remarks about Charlie Kirk.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would award slain Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Honor posthumously.
Trump paid tribute to Kirk during a memorial service for the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon.
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FBI says rifle used to kill Kirk found
Authorities said Thursday they have fresh leads in their massive manhunt for a college-age gunman who killed Charlie Kirk, the influential right-wing activist who founded the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, with a single bullet as he spoke at a Utah college campus.
Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s Salt Lake City office, said that investigators recovered the weapon they believe was used to kill Kirk — a high-powered bolt-action rifle they found in a wooded area near the campus where the shooter had fled — as well as the suspect’s footprints and palm prints.
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A new era of American political violence is upon us. How did we get here? How does it end?
Two assassination attempts on President Trump. The assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband and the wounding of others. The shooting death of a top healthcare executive. The killing of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington. The storming of the U.S. Capitol by a violent mob intent on forcing the nation’s political leaders to their will.
And, on Wednesday, the fatal shooting of one of the nation’s most prominent conservative political activists — close Trump ally Charlie Kirk — as he spoke at a public event on a university campus.
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A single shot: What horrifying videos reveal about killing of Charlie Kirk
Multiple videos from the scene show graphic details about the killing of conservative commentator and political organizer Charlie Kirk at a university in Utah on Wednesday.
Authorities are now poring over the video as part of the investigation into Kirk’s killing. They are still looking for the gunman after briefly detaining and then freeing two people of interest.
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‘Unspeakable tragedy’ rattles Utah Valley University community
Thousands of students at Utah Valley University witnessed the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a speaking event Wednesday on campus, an act of political violence that sent shock waves through the school community and the nation.
Waiting for a flight to Salt Lake City from Los Angeles on Wednesday night, Fran Tolman said she still couldn’t believe what happened at the school, which each of her three sons had attended at some point.
Her daughter-in-law was at the event Wednesday morning listening to Kirk, though she’s not currently a student, said Tolman, 69. She said her daughter-in-law recalled the chaos and fear after the gunshot rang out.
“Teachers were opening the rooms so that anybody in the crowd could run to safety,” Tolman said.
“It’s almost a cliche — you just never think it’s going to happen [at] someplace you know,” she said. “It’s such a quiet place.”
She ended up rehashing the tragic day with Dawson Dray, a current Utah Valley University student, who was headed back to school. He said he had a bunch of friends at the event; his group chats were still blowing up with videos and updates from campus.
“I would have been there,” said 22-year-old Dray, who considers himself a Kirk fan. “It’s so scary … because it’s Charlie [Kirk] and UVU.”
“We are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk,” said university Vice President Val Peterson at a Wednesday news conference. “We express our sincere condolences to the Kirk family. We grieve with our students, faculty and staff who bore witness to this unspeakable tragedy.”
In response to the assassination, the university has closed the campus and suspended classes until Monday.
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Trump calls Kirk a ‘martyr for truth,’ blames ‘radical left’ for his death
President Trump called Charlie Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom” in an address Wednesday evening from the Oval Office, and said that rhetoric spread by the radical left was to blame for ongoing acts of political violence in America.
Trump said the assassin’s attempt to silence Kirk by shooting him at a speaking event at Utah Valley University failed, as the conservative commentator’s voice “has become bigger and grander than ever before.”
Trump said that the people on the radical left who had “compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals” are “directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.”
He said “radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives,” grouping Wednesday’s shooting together with the assassination attempt on his life in Pennsylvania, attacks on ICE agents, the shooting of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Trump did not mention acts of political violence against Democrats such as the shooting of two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, the arson of Pennslyvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home and the attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
He vowed that his administration would go after everyone who contributed to the attack on Kirk as well as those who “go after our judges, law enforcement officials and everyone else who brings order to our country.”
He praised Kirk for his deep sense of patriotism, his love of open debate and his efforts to get more young people engaged with politics.
During the 2024 election, Kirk rallied his online followers to support Trump, prompting conservative podcast host Megyn Kelly to say: “It’s not an understatement to say that this man is responsible for helping the Republicans win back the White House and the U.S. Senate.”
“His mission was to bring young people into the political process, which he did better than anybody ever, to share his love of country and to spread the simple words of common sense on campuses nationwide,” Trump said Wednesday. “He championed his ideas with courage, logic, humor and grace.”
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Chabria: Charlie Kirk’s killing is horrific — and likely not the end of political violence
Over the next few days, we are going to hear politicians, commentators and others remind us that political violence is never OK, and never the answer.
That is true.
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Person of interest in Charlie Kirk shooting released from custody after interrogation
Authorities have released a person of interest who was detained Wednesday afternoon in connection to the the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
“The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement,” said FBI Director Kash Patel in a statement on X. “Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency.”
Patel announced the arrest of the subject around 3:20 p.m. and the subject’s release at 5 p.m.
Earlier in the day, police detained another person, George Zinn, but he was also released from custody after police determined he did not match the shooting suspect, according to Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety. Zinn was booked on suspicion of obstruction of justice.
Authorities continue to search for the suspected shooter who was captured on campus security camera recordings wearing dark clothing, Mason said.
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Gov. Spencer Cox on Charlie Kirk’s death: ‘This is a political assassination’
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Obama: ‘This kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy’
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Charlie Kirk was a force with young conservatives, boosting GOP and Trump
WASHINGTON — It was the height of the Obama era when Charlie Kirk, an 18-year-old college student, founded an organization designed to push back against the overwhelming liberal bent of college campuses. The instinct of the untested political activist would change the nation, spurring a young movement that would shatter conventional conservatism and fuel the rise of Donald Trump.
Between Kirk’s founding of Turning Point USA in 2012 and his death on Wednesday by an assassin’s bullet, voters between the ages of 18 and 29 experienced a shift in support viewed in political circles as an earthquake. When Mitt Romney was the Republican nominee that year, 37% of voters in this age category supported the GOP ticket. Last year, 46% supported Trump.
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‘Is this it?’ Utah governor calls on Americans to repair a broken country
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called on Americans to come together to repair a country that appears to be broken.
“More than the leaders, we just need every single person in this country to think about where we are and where we want to be and to ask ourselves — is this it?” he said during a news conference Wednesday.
He promised that the gunman responsible for the killing of Charlie Kirk would be held accountable “to the furthest extent of the law,” stressing that Utah has the death penalty.
“This is a dark day for our state,” he said. “It’s a tragic day for our nation.”
He said Kirk was first and foremost a husband and father of two young children and was a believer in free speech and debate.
“Historically, our university campuses in this nation and here in the state of Utah have been the place where truth and ideas are formulated and debated. And that’s what he does,” Cox said. “He comes on college campuses and he debates.”
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Kirk was in Utah for his American Comeback Tour, drawing supporters and protesters
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‘He is irreplaceable’ longtime conservative activist says of Kirk
Jon Fleischman, a longtime conservative activist and former executive director of the state GOP, said Kirk “was probably the single-most-prominent and successful youth organizer in the Trump movement.”
“His messaging was very compelling, but he was someone who put together an organization that would follow up and follow through,” Fleischman said. “It wasn’t just, ‘Charlie Kirk sounded convincing,’ it was, ‘Charlie Kirk told me what I could do to make a difference.’”
Fleischman said Kirk had the innate ability to personally connect with people, even if they didn’t know each other.
“As somebody who cut their teeth as a youth organizer, I have nothing but awe for the level of sophistication he brought to that field of work. He is irreplaceable. Nobody could beat Charlie Kirk.”
Fleischman said he’s concerned about the impact the killing may have on free speech — with people on both sides of the political aisle wondering whether it’s safe to speak their minds.
“When I get home, I expect my wife to say she doesn’t want me to do any public speaking,” Fleischman said. “It’s going to have a chilling effect on right and the left.”
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Newsom: ‘We should all feel a deep sense of grief’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement Wednesday afternoon following the killing of far-right political activist Charlie Kirk, who was a featured guest on the governor’s podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom.”
“We should all feel a deep sense of grief and outrage at the terrible violence that took place in Utah today. Charlie Kirk’s murder is sick and reprehensible, and our thoughts are with his family, children, and loved ones.
“I knew Charlie, and I admired his passion and commitment to debate. His senseless murder is a reminder of how important it is for all of us, across the political spectrum, to foster genuine discourse on issues that deeply affect us all without resorting to political violence.
“The best way to honor Charlie’s memory is to continue his work: engage with each other, across ideology, through spirited discourse. In a democracy, ideas are tested through words and good-faith debate — never through violence. Honest disagreement makes us stronger; violence only drives us further apart and corrodes the values at the heart of this nation.”
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FBI director reports suspect in killing of Charlie Kirk is in custody
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Kirk started media career as radio host, a traditional route for emerging conservative voices
Starting in 2020, Charlie Kirk hosted a daily program for Salem Radio, which supplies conservative talk programs to stations throughout the country, including AM 870 The Answer in Los Angeles.
Salem’s website described his role as “speaking the language of our nation’s young people.” By 2024, his programs ranked No. 13 on Apple’s rankings for news podcasts with as many as 750,000 downloads daily.
“Charlie’s syndicated daily program was one of the crown jewels in the Salem Radio Network lineup of politically impactful talent,” said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers, a publication that tracks the talk-radio industry. “He regularly took his controversial commentary out onto the campuses of America’s mostly liberal-leading universities and bravely faced hostile audiences in open debate cementing his credibility as an ideological warrior.”
His last podcast dealt with “Phillies Karen,” the woman who bullied a dad into handing over a foul ball he picked up for his son at an MLB game. He discussed the incident in terms of what it said about the “state of American manhood.”
In recent months, Kirk appeared on more outlets outside the hard-right media ecosystem. In April, he appeared on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast. He also recently appeared for the first time as a fill-in host on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
Kirk’s profile had grown to the point where he was satirized in the second episode of the current season of the Comedy Central series “South Park.”
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Shooting of Charlie Kirk was ‘political assassination,’ Utah governor says
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, a shocking act of political violence that brought widespread condemnation.
The gunman is believed to have killed Kirk from at least 200 yards away using some type of sniper rifle, law enforcement sources told The Times.