Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday, Sept. 10, while hosting an event at Utah Valley University.
The attack has divided the country as one of the most politically charged acts of violence in recent times.
Here’s what we know.
Authorities identify Charlie Kirk shooting suspect
Authorities said Friday morning that Kirk’s suspected shooter confessed to a family member and is in custody.
The suspect was identified as Tyler Robinson, said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. He was taken into custody after a family member contacted a family friend, who told authorities Robinson had “confessed to them or implied that he committed the incident.”
Authorities gathered in Orem, Utah, tied him to the crime through a review of online messages, interviews with his family members and friends, and surveillance video.
Robinson was taken into custody at 10 p.m. local time on Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
“The suspect was apprehended in a historic time period,” he said. Patel also said that, as of Friday morning, “over 11,000 leads” were called into the FBI.
Cox said bullet casings recovered from the fatal shooting included anti-fascist and taunting messages, including, “Hey fascist! Catch!”
Cox didn’t provide a visual image of the inscriptions.
Charlie Kirk shooting suspect caught
President Donald Trump announced in a Sept. 12 interview with Fox and Friends that authorities have the shooting suspect in a custody after a multi-day manhunt.
“We have him,” Trump said, adding that law enforcement has the suspect with a “high degree of certainty.”
“Somebody that was very close to him said that’s him,” Trump said. “The person that was involved was a person of faith, a minister.”
Officials have not confirmed the shooter’s motive or ideology, but Trump previously told reporters he has “an indication,” though he did not elaborate.
FBI releases footage, photos of suspected shooter
During a Thursday night news conference, authorities released new footage of the suspected shooter and implored the public for help identifying him.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said the suspect left palm impressions and “some smudges” when he climbed down from the building, as well as a shoe imprint on the ground. He was believed to be wearing Converse tennis shoes with white soles. The video then shows the suspect crossing the street and entering a wooded area.
“This is the video evidence that we utilized to track his movements and to locate that firearm in that wooded area,” Mason said.
Earlier in the day, authorities released new images of the suspect wearing a black T-shirt with an American flag with an eagle on it, a hat with a triangle on it, sunglasses, and a black backpack.
“These are all identifiable items that we’re looking for,” Mason added.
Authorities did not release a potential suspect name and said they would not be answering questions from members of the media.
Authorities find rifle in woods near shooting scene
Authorities found the rifle they believe was used in the shooting in a wooded area where the shooter fled, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said.
The Wall Street Journal and New York Times, citing law-enforcement sources, reported it was an older model Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle.
Illinois legislators react to Kirk shooting, call it ‘horrifying’
Illinois officials were quick to respond to the deadly shooting of Kirk, an Illinois native.
“The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying,” Gov. JB Prtizker posted on Facebook. “Political violence has no place in this country and should never become the norm. I’m sending my sympathies to his family and friends at this time.”
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin expressed similar sentiment, posting on Facebook, “Political violence is wrong – no matter the ideology it stems from. It has zero place in our country. My thoughts are with Charlie Kirk and his family.”
In a statement credited to Chair Kathy Salvi, the Illinois GOP said, “Our hearts are broken over the tragic death of Charlie Kirk. Charlie’s work for Republicans in Illinois and across the country was invaluable. Charlie gave an important and unique voice to young people across the country and engaged in thoughtful, open, and honest dialogue that our country desperately needs. Political violence has no place in this country and we continue to pray for Charlie’s family.”
In a statement attributed to Association President Mark Guethle, the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association said, “Let me be perfectly clear: nothing justifies the horrific violence we saw today. While we may never have agreed with Charlie Kirk, there is never an excuse for violence. Full stop. We are shocked and horrified by what seems to have been a politically motivated murder and we extend our deepest sympathy to Charlie’s wife and family as well as the students and community members who had to endure this tragic event.”
The statement went on to say, “We are the party of democracy. That means we believe in the democratic process as the way to settle political differences and make change. We will never condone, excuse or tolerate violent tactics in the political arena.”
Arlington Heights native Charlie Kirk dies from lethal gunshot wound
Kirk was born in October 1993 in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights.
His father, Robert, was an architect, according to the New York Times, while his mother, Kimberly, was mental health counselor, the Chicago Tribune reported. Both parents were active in conservative circles, and his father was a major donor to Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, the Times reported.
Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia mourned Kirk’s death on social media and said the “loss hits especially close to home as Charlie was born in Arlington Heights and has deep ties to our community.”
Kirk died hours after being brought to a nearby hospital following the shooting at Utah Valley University.
Will Carless, Josh Meyer, N’dea Yancey-Bragg, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Christopher Cann, Amanda Lee Myers, Melissa Galbraith, Brandon Loomis, Tom Ackerman, Fernando Cervantes Jr., Saman Shafiq, Aysha Bagchi and Nick Penzenstadler contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Authorities identify suspected Charlie Kirk shooter, say he’s in custody. Here’s what we know
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall, Thao Nguyen, Jeanine Santucci and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY NETWORK / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
