Charlie Kirk Shooting: Trump Claims Suspect in Custody After Tip

Tyler Robinson seems to be the person America has been searching for in connection with the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk.

So far, all we know about about him definitively is that he is 22 years old, he comes from Utah and he was awarded a scholarship to Utah University.

Trump told Fox News that a minister had identified a person as Kirk's suspected shooter from photos made public by law enforcement. According to Trump, the minister got in touch with a deputy US Marshal whom he knew and eventually the suspect’s “father got involved.”

According to CNN, the suspect admitted to his father that he was the shooter. The father then alerted authorities and kept his son restrained until officers arrived. (OSINT)

“They drove into the police headquarters, and he's there now,” Trump said.

This follows President Donald Trump's announcement on Fox & Friends this morning that authorities have captured the suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, stating with a "high degree of certainty" that the individual is now in custody after being turned in by someone very close to them. The revelation comes less than 48 hours after Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA and a staunch Trump ally, was gunned down during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

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"I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody," Trump stated. "Everyone did a great job. We worked with the local police, the governor. We started off with a clip that made him look like an ant, that was almost useless, we just saw there was somebody up there... so much work has been done after the last 2 and a half days. It's amazing, you start off with that and all of a sudden, you get lucky or talent - I think we're in great shape, he's in custody."

Trump said that he hopes the perpetrator will be sentenced to death.

The announcement has sparked a frenzy on social media, with posts rapidly spreading across X (formerly Twitter) under hashtags like #JusticeForCharlie and #KirkAssassinCaught. Users shared clips from Trump's interview, with one viral post from @benonwine capturing the moment: "President Trump has just announced on Fox and Friends that authorities have Charlie Kirk’s assassin in custody and that someone close to the suspect helped turn him in." Another from @RSBNetwork declared: "BREAKING: Trump confirms Charlie Kirk suspect is in custody."

However, as of midday Friday, neither the FBI nor Utah authorities have officially confirmed the arrest. The FBI's Salt Lake City field office, which has been leading the investigation alongside local police, last updated the public early this morning with images of a "person of interest" and a $100,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's capture. Bill Ackman added that he would give a $1,000,000 for information leading to the arrest, with two other donors also offering to add money to the pool.

Video footage released by Utah officials shows a figure fleeing the scene, believed to be the shooter, who fired from a rooftop approximately 137 meters away before escaping into a wooded area.

Kirk was shot in the neck around 7:45 p.m. on September 10 while addressing a crowd of about 3,000 students and supporters on topics including campus free speech and U.S. foreign policy. Graphic videos captured the moment he slumped in his chair, blood pouring from the wound, as panicked attendees fled. He was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after. Authorities recovered what they believe is the rifle used, a high-powered hunting weapon, along with ammunition inscribed with anti-fascist and transgender ideology messages, according to reports.

The investigation, classified as a potential politically motivated assassination and possible domestic terrorism, has involved door-to-door searches and heightened security on campuses nationwide. Two individuals were briefly detained early in the probe but released after questioning. Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, has vowed to seek the death penalty if convicted, stating at a press conference: "We've been working with our attorneys... so that we can pursue the death penalty in this case."

Trump's comments align with his earlier responses to the tragedy. On September 10, he confirmed Kirk's death on Truth Social, calling him "a giant of his generation" and ordering flags at half-staff nationwide until September 14. Yesterday, during a 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon, Trump announced he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, praising him as "an advocate of nonviolence" and urging supporters to respond peacefully. He has also blamed "radical left" rhetoric for inciting the violence, though no motive has been officially linked to any group.

Tributes continue to flood in. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called Kirk a "lion-hearted friend of Israel," reiterated condolences, noting their recent conversation about a planned visit. Vice President JD Vance, a close friend, flew Kirk's casket back to Arizona on Air Force Two yesterday, describing him as instrumental in mobilizing young conservatives. Kirk's widow, Erika, has requested privacy, but Turning Point USA announced plans for a national memorial. According to Trump, they hope to continue, even without their beloved founder.