- A person is in custody and being questioned in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
- President Trump expressed a 'high degree of certainty' that the suspect has been apprehended.
- The detention follows an intensive manhunt after Kirk was shot at a Utah Valley University event.
A person is now in custody and is being questioned by authorities in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to four sources familiar with the matter. The development, which has not been formally announced by law enforcement, marks a significant break in a case that has drawn national attention and intense political reaction.
President Donald Trump, in comments to Fox News, indicated a strong belief that the right individual has been detained. “I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him,” the President said, underscoring the high-profile nature of the investigation. Attempts to reach the FBI field office leading the investigation for official confirmation were not immediately successful.
The detention follows an exhaustive search triggered after Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot from a rooftop during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Authorities had previously recovered the suspected weapon—an older imported Mauser .30-06 bolt-action rifle—and released surveillance images of a college-aged individual fleeing the scene. The investigation had generated over 7,000 tips and involved more than 200 interviews.
Utah’s governor had previously labeled the killing a “political assassination” and vowed to pursue the death penalty for the perpetrator. The shooting has ignited fierce debate about political violence and campus security, placing immense pressure on law enforcement to make an arrest. The status of the individual in custody and any potential charges were not immediately clear.