Authorities said Friday that a suspect in the assassination of Charlie Kirk is in police custody, identifying the alleged shooter as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Robinson’s father reached out to a family friend on Thursday to relay that Robinson confessed or implied he was responsible for the shooting. The governor said a family member told law enforcement that Robinson recently mentioned Kirk was coming to Utah Valley University and said the conservative leader was “full of hate and spreading hate.”
Cox said investigators found bullet casings inscribed with anti-fascist messages including, “Hey Fascists! Catch!”
The announcement follows a 36-hour search for the shooter who killed Kirk, a conservative hero and Trump ally. Cox said charging documents will be filed early next week.
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Trump broke the news earlier Friday that a suspect had been apprehended.
“I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody,” Trump said on a “Fox & Friends” interview. “Everyone did a great job. We worked with the local police, the governor. Everybody did a great job.”
The president didn’t give many details about the apprehension. Trump said that he was informed that a suspect was in custody minutes before going on air.
The FBI released photos and video of a suspected shooter Thursday. On Wednesday, hours after Kirk was shot, FBI Director Kash Patel suggested the shooter was in custody, only to update the public later that the person had been released after law enforcement interviewed him.
Cox said Thursday that the state was prepared to pursue the death penalty against the shooter. Trump said Friday he would support such a sentence.
“Well, I hope he’s going to be found guilty, I would imagine. And I hope he gets to death. What he did — Charlie Kirk, was the funniest person. He didn’t deserve this,” Trump said.
This article has been updated with additional comments from officials.
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