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Tag: Utah Valley University

  • Suspect sent text saying he would ‘take out’ Charlie Kirk, FBI says as scrutiny of Patel’s performance increases

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    Federal officials announced Monday that investigators found DNA and other evidence linking Tyler Robinson to the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk as FBI Director Kash Patel faces increasing scrutiny over his leadership during the probe.

    Patel said Monday that Robinson had sent a text before the shooting, saying he had an opportunity to “take out” Kirk and “he was going to do it because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for.” It is unclear who Robinson sent the text to, or whether that person alerted law enforcement. A similar message had allegedly been contained in a note that was destroyed, but recovered by law enforcement, Patel told Fox News.

    “We learned some shocking things when we spoke to his family and friends,” Patel said in the interview.

    The FBI collected a screwdriver containing Robinson’s DNA on the rooftop of a building at Utah Valley University and a firearm wrapped in a towel that had been discarded in a nearby wooded area. The towel also had Robinson’s DNA on it, Patel said, adding that the firearm was still being processed for forensic evidence.

    Kirk, 31, was a beloved figure in the conservative movement who in death won praise for using dialogue to make his case. He was known for his unfiltered, hard-right opinions on heated topics such as abortion, immigration and gender identity, comments that frequently drew fierce criticism, particularly on college campuses he visited. His death by a single gunshot during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University shocked the nation and has led to vigorous debate over the motivations allegedly driving Robinson, the 22-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder.

    Utah Gov. Spencer Cox pauses as he speaks at a news conference Friday in Orem, Utah.

    (Lindsey Wasson/AP)

    During a round of interviews Sunday morning, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox claimed that Robinson subscribed to a “leftist ideology” and became radicalized after he dropped out of Utah State University in 2021. Robinson’s parents are registered Republicans. Their son is not affiliated with any political party and apparently holds more liberal views, authorities said.

    Robinson has not been cooperating with investigators, but the people closest to him have been working with police, Cox said. So far, Robinson’s friends have painted a picture of a young person radicalized in the dark corners of the internet, according to the governor.

    “Clearly, there was a lot of gaming going on, friends that have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, Reddit culture and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep,” Cox said.

    Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino said Robinson had an “obsession” with Kirk based on information the FBI has discovered so far, and it is looking at whether others knew of the threat he posed.

    “Did they … hear it and think it was a joke? That is what we’re trying to find out now,” he told Fox News. “If there is a larger network here, we will get that out to the public as soon as we can.”

    There has been much discussion over Robinson’s partner, whom he lives with and who Cox said is “transitioning from male to female.” Cox emphasized in a television interview over the weekend that the person did not have any knowledge of the attack and “was shocked when they found out about it.”

    Moments before he was fatally shot on the Utah campus on Wednesday, Kirk was asked by an audience member how many mass shootings were carried out by trans people in the United States.

    “Too many,” Kirk responded.

    The Violence Prevention Project at Hamline University found that the majority of shootings where four or more people were wounded in a public location were carried out by men. Just 2% of shootings in the last decade were carried out by women and less than 1% were by transgender people, according to the data.

    Robinson turned himself over to police after his father saw images of him in a long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans flashing across television and computer screens amid the FBI’s sweeping manhunt for the shooter. The family called their church bishop — also a neighbor — when Robinson threatened to take his own life, according to a law enforcement source who was not authorized to discuss the investigation.

    Cox has emphasized that authorities are still trying to determine what led to the fatal shooting and what role, if any, political ideology played in the incident. More information may come to light Tuesday when Robinson is expected to be criminally charged.

    “The why behind this … we’re all drawing lots of conclusions on how someone like this could be radicalized. And I think that those are important questions for us to ask and important questions for us to answer,” Cox told “Meet the Press.”

    FBI Director Kash Patel and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

    FBI Director Kash Patel makes remarks about the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s slaying as Utah Gov. Spencer Cox looks on.

    (Chris Samuels/The Salt Lake Tribune via Getty Images)

    Meanwhile, Patel has faced criticism for his postings on X in the hours after the shooting saying that the “subject for the horrific shooting” had been taken into custody. Less than two hours later, investigators said they had ruled that person out as a suspect and released them after questioning. Robinson would not be arrested for another day.

    The announcement was in sharp contrast to how the FBI and other law enforcement agencies typically handle the arrest of a potential suspect in high-profile cases, especially one where the identity of a suspect may not be immediately clear. In similar incidents in the past, law enforcement agencies will often not confirm whether anyone in custody is a suspect until several hours after their detention in an effort to solidify their involvement.

    Law enforcement and political sources speaking on condition of anonymity said Patel’s message did not align with the cautious approach officials typically take in such situations and led to many questioning the director’s judgment.

    Art Acevedo, former Houston and Austin police chief, said Patel’s lack of experience was evident in how he handled communications after the shooting.

    “It’s unconscionable that at a historical high point for domestic and foreign threats, the FBI, the lead agency in combating them, is led by someone over his head. Our nation, the FBI, and the president deserve better,” Acevedo said.

    Even before flying to Utah on Thursday, Patel held a meeting with senior agents and unleashed on them. Patel and Bongino said on the profanity-laced call Thursday morning that they were under intense pressure to arrest the killer, according to the New York Times, which cited three people familiar with the exchange. Patel also called out agents in Salt Lake City for not having shared photos of the suspect with him sooner.

    Patel’s actions seemed to spark confusion and frustration, even among conservative and right-wing pundits and politicians.

    “Suspect still on loose,” Fox News host Laura Ingraham posted on X after news that Patel’s initial announcement of a suspect being in custody was incorrect. “Unreal. Get him.”

    Joseph Biggs, a member of the right-wing Proud Boys who was convicted and sentenced for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the capital, blasted Patel on social media.

    “Stop all this click bait s— you keep doing,” he wrote. “It’s unbecoming of the office in which you represent.”

    In an interview on “Fox & Friends” on Monday, Patel defended his handling of the investigation, including social media posts he made the day of the shooting.

    “Could I have worded it a little better in the heat of the moment? Sure. But do I regret putting it out? Absolutely not,” he said. “I was telling the world what the FBI was doing as we were doing and I’m continuing to do that.”

    Patel is scheduled to testify before the Senate and House judiciary committees Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, about Patel’s oversight of the FBI.

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    Richard Winton, Nathan Solis, Salvador Hernandez, Hannah Fry

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  • Kristi Noem reacts to Charlie Kirk’s death: ‘Start focusing on each other’

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    Kristi Noem said she believes that the killing of Charlie Kirk could be a turning point for the country.

    Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative political activist, was fatally shot Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. The alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody following a two-day manhunt.

    “It feels like a grief has settled on not just the country, but the entire world. Something has changed,” Noem said in a Sept. 14 interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. “My hope is that we will use this as an opportunity to come together and unify.”

    Noem, the Homeland Security secretary and former South Dakota governor, went on to criticize what she described as “rhetoric we’re seeing out of the left and out of political animals,” saying it’s “ugly and it’s bitter and it’s seeking to seize this opportunity to turn it into evil.”

    “I would just encourage everybody to start focusing on relationships, to start focusing on each other and talk about what Charlie believed in,” she said.

    Related: South Dakota political leaders offer prayers for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk

    Noem also talked about her personal relationship with Kirk. She said he had the chance to meet her family, including her kids.

    “He was a special man who stood up and was bold enough to go speak to people who disagreed with him,” she said. “We need more of that today. More civil discourse rather than some of the violence that we’ve seen.”

    In a Sept. 14 post on Facebook, Noem wrote about the grief she felt after learning about Kirk’s death.

    “Before, I have felt isolated in my grief, but this grief feels collective – millions of people’s hearts breaking and wishing they could carry some of the burden for Charlie’s family and dearest loved ones,” she wrote.

    Noem also described some of her personal interactions with Kirk.

    “I remember being so impressed by his talents when I first met him,” she wrote. “He had a skill set and knowledge I didn’t have and he became an encourager for me over the years.”

    Noem was in her second term as South Dakota’s governor when she left to become President Donald Trump’s Homeland Security secretary. Kirk was “deeply involved” in the vetting process for top positions in Trump’s administration, ABC News reported.

    This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Kristi Noem reacts to Charlie Kirk death, talks personal interactions

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  • Gallatin community, Riley Gaines gather to honor Charlie Kirk: ‘Revival is new life. This is the turning point’

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    Conservative media personality Riley Gaines and Sumner County Mayor John Isbell were among the speakers at a Gallatin community vigil held in honor of Charlie Kirk on the evening of Sept. 14.

    Kirk, a conservative political commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot at a Utah Valley University event Sept. 10. He was 31.

    Hundreds gathered outside the Sumner County Administrative Building for the event, which began about 5:30 p.m. Some wore white T-shirts with the word “Freedom” printed across, the same shirt Kirk was wearing when he was killed. Others carried handmade signs and American flags.

    “I know, I am certain that he is looking down, sitting right beside his creator right now and smiling at the sight of what is happening here in Sumner County, and across the nation, really across the globe,” Gaines said about Kirk.

    Kirk, who was from Arlington Heights, Illinois, was speaking during his “prove me wrong” table at his American Comeback Tour stop at Utah Valley when he was fatally shot. He was taken by his security team to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the FBI said during a news conference Sept. 10. Democrats and Republicans in Tennessee have condemned the shooting in the past several days.

    Sumner County Mayor John Isbell said at the Sept. 14 vigil that Kirk’s death should inspire others to come closer to the Christian faith and called him a martyr.

    “Tonight I want everyone to reflect on the following: What if the blood of a martyr, yes, a modern one, is not the end of a story but the beginning of a revival?” he said, refering to what Christians believe is a period of fervent activity in the church.

    Rita Brewer attends a vigil held for Charlie Kirk outside the Sumner County Administrative Building in Gallatin Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.

    “What if this tragedy awakens a generation? What if it calls us, once and for all, to stop chasing comfort and start living courageously? What if Charlie’s death becomes a spark that lights a holy fire across this nation?”

    Multiple speakers, including Pastor Todd Coconato of Leaves of Healing Church, called for the crowd to commit to a renewed dedication to their Christian faith and values.

    “Revival is new life. This is the turning point,” he said, referring to the policital organization founded by Kirk.

    What did Riley Gaines say at Gallatin Charlie Kirk vigil?

    Gaines, a media personality and conservative political commentator, said she wasn’t prepared to speak at the vigil but felt called to share some words after seeing familiar faces in the audience.

    The former collegiate swimmer is originally from Gallatin and graduated from University of Kentucky. She built her political platform after openly criticizing the National Colegiate Athletic Association for allowing University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas to compete in the women’s division. Thomas is transgender and tied with Gaines for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle final at the 2022 NCAA swimming championships.

    Riley Gaines speaks at a vigil held for Charlie Kirk outside the Sumner County Administrative Building in Gallatin Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.

    Riley Gaines speaks at a vigil held for Charlie Kirk outside the Sumner County Administrative Building in Gallatin Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.

    Gaines became friends with Kirk and joined him in May for his San Fransisco State University American Comeback tour stop.

    “I’ll be honest, I would have been there,” she said at the vigil. “I would have been sitting in that chair right beside Charlie if I wasn’t 39 weeks pregnant. Scary, scary thought.”

    Gaines said Kirk had done more for Gen Z than any other person, that he “made MAGA cool” and was the reason Donald Trump was elected president.

    “His impact cannot be understated,” she said.

    Gaines also echoed the words of Kirk’s wife Erika Kirk, who published a nearly 20-minute long video after the shooting. Gaines said she was thrilled to hear Erika Kirk say that Charlie Kirk’s political movement would not die with him. Gaines, like Erika Kirk, used plural language to refer to “people” responsible for Kirk’s death.

    “They killed a man, a father of two, a husband, a Christian because they disagreed with him politically,” Gaines said. “That could have been any of us.”

    “Erika, in her remarks, she put it so perfectly,” Gaines continued. “She said, ‘The evildoers have no idea what they’ve done because they have started a revival among Christians and conservatives.”

    Shooting suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, is in police custody. According to early reports from authorities, the shooter acted alone, but the investigation is ongoing.

    Gallatin residents say they feel they ‘knew’ Kirk

    Gallatin residents Donna Drake, 55, Alicia Georgiou, 60 and Kelsie Olson, 34, went to the vigil together. They said they were compelled to attend because they felt connected to Kirk.

    “We didn’t know him,” Olson said through tears.

    “But you felt like your soul knew him,” Drake said.

    The trio said they felt connected to Kirk through their shared Christian beliefs, and Drake said she agreed with his “whole message.”

    “I think part of it is that I respected the fact that no matter what his beliefs were, he was about open dialogue and encouraged hearing from people who had different beliefs,” Georgiou said. “And what better blessing than that?”

    Taylor Free, the organizer for a vigil held for Charlie Kirk outside the Sumner County Administrative Building, speaks during the event in Gallatin Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.

    Taylor Free, the organizer for a vigil held for Charlie Kirk outside the Sumner County Administrative Building, speaks during the event in Gallatin Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.

    Olson added that she feels the country is in a “very dark time” after Kirk’s death.

    “I think this has shifted history and we can kind of go one of two ways,” she said. “And I’m scared for my kids’ future. And I think just seeing people come together gives me hope that there’s a lot more good than evil.”

    Event organizer Taylor Free closed the vigil by playing a synthetic audio clip that imitated Kirk’s voice. In the clip, Kirk said he wanted to introduce listeners to his “new friends,” which were computer-generated voices Christian martyrs throughout history, like Paul the Apostle, Andrew the Apostle and Saint Peter.

    “My brothers and sisters, group yourself in a Bible-believing church, pray for your enemies, for our battle is spiritual,” Kirk’s synthetic voice said. “It’s time to awaken your faith. Rise up, speak truth without fear and overwhelm the world for Jesus.”

    This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Riley Gaines, Gallatin gather to honor Charlie Kirk: ‘His impact cannot be understated’

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  • Shooting suspect had ‘very different ideology’ than conservative family, Utah governor says

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    The Utah governor, Spencer Cox, on Sunday told national talkshows that the man suspected of killing Turning Point USA executive director Charlie Kirk was living with and in a relationship with a person “transitioning from male to female” as investigators continue exploring a possible motive in the attack.

    The Republican politician’s comments came four days after Kirk – a critic of gay and transgender rights – was shot to death from a distance with a rifle during an event at Utah Valley University while speaking with a student about mass shootings in the US and trans people. Nonetheless, Cox stopped short of saying that officials had determined the suspect’s partner’s alleged status was a factor in Kirk’s killing.

    In comments to NBC’s Meet the Press, Cox said that Kirk’s accused killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was not cooperating with authorities. Yet authorities are gathering information from family members and people around him, Cox said.

    Cox said that what investigators had gathered showed Robinson “does come from a conservative family – but his ideology was very different than his family”.

    Citing the content of investigators’ interviews with people close to Robinson, Cox said “we do know that the [suspect’s] roommate … is a [partner] who is transitioning from male to female.

    “I will say that that person has been very cooperative with authorities,” Cox remarked to Meet the Press host Kristen Welker, referring to the roommate. “And … the why behind this … we’re all drawing lots of conclusions on how someone like this could be radicalized. And I think that those are important questions for us to ask and important questions for us to answer.”

    The governor did not elaborate on the evidence that investigators were relying on to establish Robinson’s relationship to his roommate with whom he shared an apartment in Washington county, Utah, about 260 miles from where Kirk was killed.

    Robinson’s arrest was announced on Friday after he surrendered to authorities to end a two-day manhunt in the wake of the 31-year-old Kirk’s killing.

    At the time of his arrest, Robinson was a third-year student in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College.

    Utah records show both of his parents are registered Republicans who voted in the 2024 election that gave Donald Trump, their party’s leader, a second presidency. But publicly available information offers little if any insight into Robinson’s personal beliefs.

    Cox made it a point to tell NBC that “friends that have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet … culture and these other dark places of the internet” where Robinson “was going deep”. The governor did not elaborate – though on Saturday, citing the work of law enforcement, he told the Wall Street Journal that “it’s very clear to us and to investigators that this was a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”

    On Sunday, in a separate interview, CNN’s Dana Bash asked Cox to elaborate on his comments to the Journal.

    “That information comes from the people around him, from his family members and his friends – that’s how we got that information,” Cox told CNN. “There’s so much more that we’re learning, and so much more that we will learn.”

    Bash also asked Cox whether the roommate’s status was relevant to the investigation and a potential motive. The governor replied, “That is what we are trying to figure out right now.”

    “I know everybody wants to know exactly why, and point the finger,” Cox said. “And I totally get that. I do, too.”

    Yet Cox said he had not read all interview transcripts compiled by investigators, “so I just want to be careful … and so we’ll have to wait and see what comes out.”

    Cox said he expected the public would learn more when formal charges were filed against Robinson. The governor said he expected that to happen on Tuesday.

    After Robinson’s arrest, Utah officials said that inscriptions were found on bullet casings within a rifle found near the scene where Kirk was killed.

    One reportedly read: “Hey fascist! Catch!” Another purportedly read, “Oh, Bella ciao” – a reference to an Italian anti-fascist resistance song. A third reportedly said: “If you read this, you are gay, LMAO.”

    During his CNN appearance, Cox also said that investigators were looking into a potential note left by Robinson.

    Officials at the group chat app Discord recently said that they had identified an account on the platform associated with Robinson – but found no evidence that the suspect planned the incident on the platform.

    The spokesperson for Discord did say that there were “communications between the suspect’s roommate and a friend after the shooting, where the roommate was recounting the contents of a note the suspect had left elsewhere”.

    When asked about the note, Cox said that “those are things that are still being processed for accuracy and verification”. He suggested additional details about the note could be “included in charging documents”.

    The FBI director, Kash Patel, posted a link Sunday on social media to an article that the conservative Fox News network published a day earlier that first relayed details of Robinson’s alleged partner, citing senior-level agency officials. The FBI on Saturday declined to comment to the Guardian on that report and other similar ones.

    In an unrelated matter from three years earlier, Kirk had attacked Cox on social media over the topic of trans women in sports, and called for him to be expelled from the Republican party.

    Members of both of the US’s major political parties on Sunday reiterated condemnations of Kirk’s killing and political violence in general.

    “Every American is harmed by this – it’s an attack on an individual and an attack on a country whose entire purpose, entire way of being is that we can resolve what we need to resolve through a political process,” Pete Buttigieg, a Democrat who served as the US transportation secretary during Joe Biden’s presidency, said to Welker.

    Republican US senator Lindsey Graham, meanwhile, told Welker: “What I’m asking everybody to do is not to resort to violence to settle your political differences.”

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  • Dodgers pitcher writes tribute to Charlie Kirk on hat

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    Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen took the mound at Oracle Park during Friday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants with a handwritten tribute to Charlie Kirk easily visible on the right side of his hat.Treinen’s blue Dodgers hat had Kirk’s name written in white, with a Christian cross on each side of Kirk’s name. The message came two days after Kirk, a 31-year-old political activist who frequently expounded far-right views, was shot and killed at a rally on Utah Valley University’s campus in Orem, Utah. Video above: Pa. lawmaker to introduce bill that establishes Charlie Kirk Day as state holidayTreinen hasn’t been shy about using his platform to promote his beliefs and conspiracy theories, which have usually been far-right memes and anti-vaccine content. During the heated Giants-Dodgers postseason showdown in 2021, Treinen changed his Instagram bio to link to Robin Bullock, who said he was a “prophet of God” on his YouTube channel and shared conspiracy theories and indirectly took credit for the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.A one-time All-Star with the A’s, Treinen has been with the Dodgers since 2020 and has been a steady presence in their bullpen. But he and fellow pitcher Clayton Kershaw were outspoken against their own team when the Dodgers invited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a charity group of queer and drag nuns, to their Pride Night in 2023.During the Dodgers’ Pride Night in 2025 (which coincidentally happened when the Giants were in LA), Kershaw created a controversy for himself when he wrote a Bible verse on his hat. Kershaw claimed it had nothing to do with Pride night, but the specific passage he chose has been frequently used by Christians to denounce the LGBTQ+ community. The Dodgers played a game on Wednesday night, but Treinen didn’t pitch in the 9-0 win over the Rockies. On Friday night, he made an appearance in a game and displayed the tribute to Kirk. Treinen escaped a jam in the ninth inning, but took the loss after he faced one batter in the 10th. It made him the pitcher responsible for the winning run when Giants catcher Patrick Bailey crushed a walk-off grand slam off of Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott.

    Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen took the mound at Oracle Park during Friday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants with a handwritten tribute to Charlie Kirk easily visible on the right side of his hat.

    Treinen’s blue Dodgers hat had Kirk’s name written in white, with a Christian cross on each side of Kirk’s name. The message came two days after Kirk, a 31-year-old political activist who frequently expounded far-right views, was shot and killed at a rally on Utah Valley University’s campus in Orem, Utah.

    Video above: Pa. lawmaker to introduce bill that establishes Charlie Kirk Day as state holiday

    Treinen hasn’t been shy about using his platform to promote his beliefs and conspiracy theories, which have usually been far-right memes and anti-vaccine content. During the heated Giants-Dodgers postseason showdown in 2021, Treinen changed his Instagram bio to link to Robin Bullock, who said he was a “prophet of God” on his YouTube channel and shared conspiracy theories and indirectly took credit for the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

    A one-time All-Star with the A’s, Treinen has been with the Dodgers since 2020 and has been a steady presence in their bullpen. But he and fellow pitcher Clayton Kershaw were outspoken against their own team when the Dodgers invited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a charity group of queer and drag nuns, to their Pride Night in 2023.

    During the Dodgers’ Pride Night in 2025 (which coincidentally happened when the Giants were in LA), Kershaw created a controversy for himself when he wrote a Bible verse on his hat. Kershaw claimed it had nothing to do with Pride night, but the specific passage he chose has been frequently used by Christians to denounce the LGBTQ+ community.

    The Dodgers played a game on Wednesday night, but Treinen didn’t pitch in the 9-0 win over the Rockies. On Friday night, he made an appearance in a game and displayed the tribute to Kirk. Treinen escaped a jam in the ninth inning, but took the loss after he faced one batter in the 10th. It made him the pitcher responsible for the winning run when Giants catcher Patrick Bailey crushed a walk-off grand slam off of Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott.

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  • Questions linger about alleged shooter’s motivation for killing Charlie Kirk

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    Though the suspect in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk was revealed by authorities on Friday, questions surrounding his identity and motivations have exacerbated intense US political debates in the aftermath of the shooting.

    Authorities revealed Kirk’s suspected killer to be Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old man who grew up in Washington, Utah, along the state’s south-western border.

    In absence of a clear motive for the slaying, reports have tried to piece together information about Robinson and his background. He is a third-year student in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in the state. Both of his parents are registered Republicans, though his personal political beliefs remain unclear. Now-deleted pictures on social media show Robinson and his family posing with guns.

    In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Saturday, Utah’s governor, Spencer Cox, said: “It’s very clear to us and to investigators that this was a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.” Cox cited the findings of the ongoing investigation into Robinson and his possible motive but did not provide any further details about how officials arrived at that conclusion.

    Related: FBI director ridiculed by far right for clumsy response to Charlie Kirk’s killing

    Those remarks from Cox were published a day after he delivered a speech following Robinson’s arrest where he had a candid moment about Robinson’s identity as a Utahn.

    “Bad stuff happens, and for 33 hours, I was praying that if this had to happen here, it wouldn’t be one of us,” Cox said. “That somebody drove from another state, somebody came from another country. Sadly, that prayer was not answered the way I hoped for.”

    He went on to explain that it would have been “easier on us” if the suspect weren’t from the community.

    “Just because I thought it would make it easier on us to say, ‘Hey, we don’t do that here.’ Indeed, Utah is a special place, we lead the nation in charitable giving, we lead the nation in service every year,” Cox said, tears welling in his eyes. “But it did happen here, and it was one of us.”

    After Robinson’s identity was revealed, some conservatives have softened their attacks against Kirk’s alleged murderer as an individual – but continue to leverage anger toward liberals as a group.

    Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina tweeted on Wednesday that “it’s time to bring back the death penalty” following Kirk’s murder.

    On Friday, Mace said that Kirk “would want us to pray for such an evil and lost individual like Tyler Robinson to find Jesus Christ”.

    “We will try to do the same,” she wrote.

    She later doubled down on the death penalty, saying: “Some crimes are so evil, the only just punishment is the death penalty.” But, referring to the way the suspect’s father reportedly had a role in turning him over to authorities, she also said: “We are sending prayers and our high regards to Tyler Robinson’s father for doing the right thing.”

    Cox’s speech has largely been praised as highlighting unity during a divisive moment, providing a stark contrast to Donald Trump, who considered Kirk a close ally. The president on Friday appeared on Fox & Friends and was asked by host Ainsley Earhardt, “How do we fix this country? How do we come back together?”

    “The radicals on the right are radical because they don’t want to see crime,” Trump said. “The radicals on the left are the problem – and they are vicious and horrible and politically savvy. They want men in women’s sports, they want transgender people, they want open borders. The worst thing that happened to this country.”

    Conservatives had latched onto reports – that have since been retracted – that the casings for bullets found with the gun that police suspect was used to kill Kirk were engraved with markings indicating “trans ideology”.

    “To the surprise of literally no one,” Megyn Kelly said on her show earlier in the aftermath of Kirk’s killing. “There’s one particular group that’s been running around killing Americans in the name of ideology, and it’s transgender activists or individuals, or those who proclaim that they are.”

    Once Robinson’s identity was revealed, Kelly speculated that Robinson must have been radicalized after going to college.

    “This kid got radicalized, and obviously had a psychotic break … I am disturbed to see that he appears to have come from a loving, intact family,” Kelly said. “If you look at the family social media profile, it looks like a happy family. It looks like a loving mom, and a loving dad. He had two younger brothers, there’s lots of family photos of them going on vacations and family dinners.”

    Kelly noted that while authorities will be seeking the death penalty, it is ultimately a “mental health issue” that underpins the “radicalization” of young people who go to college.

    Meanwhile, white nationalist Nick Fuentes sought to shut down speculation that Robinson may have been a “Groyper”, a nickname for a follower of Fuentes, after reports on the engravings on the bullets of the alleged killer’s gun led to theorizing on his ideology.

    Groypers had long criticized Kirk and trolled speakers at his events because the former perceived the latter to be too politically moderate.

    While Fuentes claimed in a social media post that he and his followers were “currently being framed for the murder of Charlie Kirk,” he also said in a streaming video: “I pray to God there is no further violence.”

    “To all of my followers, if you take up arms, I disavow you,” Fuentes said. “I disown you in the strongest possible terms.”

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  • In southern Utah, friends and neighbors try to understand, who is Tyler Robinson?

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    WASHINGTON CITY, Utah — Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer, Tyler James Robinson, is currently being held in the Utah County Jail, but he grew up here, in the southwest corner of the state.

    A town of just over 37,000 people a four-hour drive south of Salt Lake City, Washington City is situated in the middle of the dramatic red rocks of southern Utah, about 30 minutes away from Zion National Park. It’s full of well laid-out stucco homes, many of them recently built, with American flags blowing gently from their porches.

    The family home of Tyler Robinson, who is the suspect in the Utah Valley University killing of Charlie Kirk, is pictured in Washington, Utah, on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Kirk was a conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA. The house is blue and in the lower left of the photo. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

    People in Robinson’s neighborhood and those he grew up with expressed shock and grief to the Deseret News, reacting to the news just hours after Robinson was identified by authorities on Friday morning.

    Outside his parents’ home in Washington City, law enforcement officers blocked off the street with vehicles.

    Siblings Victoria and Colby Cannon live in the area and came to see the house, after seeing police cars and hordes of journalists in the area. Both Victoria and Colby were big fans of Charlie Kirk and were shocked when they realized the suspected shooter was from nearby.

    Another woman standing on her front lawn only a few doors down from the Robinsons’ had a reporter park in front of her driveway. She expressed sympathy for the family and wished they were given more space.

    Kirk Shooter Hometown_KM_15.JPG

    Members of the media work near the family home of Tyler Robinson, who is the suspect in the Utah Valley University killing of Charlie Kirk, in Washington, Utah, on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Kirk was a conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

    A prominent conservative activist and organizer, Kirk was shot and killed during a “Prove Me Wrong” debate at Utah Valley University on Wednesday around noon. Just a few hours later he was pronounced dead at Timpanogos Regional Hospital.

    Robinson was apprehended at 10 p.m. on Thursday night, after a statewide manhunt was carried out. Local, state and federal law enforcement officers combed through video, tips and forensic evidence as they searched for Kirk’s killer.

    Robinson is believed to have climbed to the roof of the Losee Center, a building next to the grassy amphitheater at UVU where Kirk was interacting with 3,000 students and visitors.

    Video and images released of the shooter were recognized by members of his family, who were praised by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox for being willing to turn him in.

    These two mugshots released by the FBI show Tyler Robinson. | FBI

    These two mugshots released by the FBI show Tyler Robinson. | FBI

    DN-UVUscenemap

    DN-UVUscenemap

    Investigators also spoke to Robinson’s roommate, who lived with him at an apartment in St. George and has not been identified.

    According to Cox, the roommate said Robinson communicated with him on Discord, a social media platform that is popular with young gamers.

    Cox said the roommate told investigators Robinson said he had left a gun wrapped in a towel in a wooded area next to the college campus.

    The bullet casings and bullets in the gun were engraved with anti-fascist messages, Cox said, including, “Hey, Fascist! Catch!” and another that said “If you read this, you are gay, lmao,” among others.

    Kirk Shooter Hometown_KM_1897.JPG

    Department of Public Safety forensics workers work at the apartment of Tyler Robinson, who is the suspect in the Utah Valley University killing of Charlie Kirk, in St. George on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Kirk was a conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

    A fellow Boy Scout

    Tate Conrad, also from Washington City, grew up with Robinson, and is enrolled in the same college program at Dixie Technical College in St. George. He is worried about Robinson’s family and the hate they are getting online.

    Conrad is a year younger than Robinson; they met in the same Boy Scout troop in middle school.

    Conrad started an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Tech this fall, where Robinson is in his third year.

    As a kid, Conrad said Robinson was “quiet, obviously, but he was a really nice kid. He was always genuine. He wasn’t a loner — he’d be by himself, but if you reached out to him, he’d just be there, and he’d join the conversation.”

    Conrad said Robinson fit in with the other Boy Scouts in their troop. “He was friends with all of us. Nobody disliked him. Nobody hated him. He was a good kid,” he said.

    They both also attended Pine View High School in St. George.

    When Conrad saw Robinson at Dixie Tech last week, he said, “He looked totally the same. Same old Tyler.”

    Robinson attended Utah State University for one semester in 2021, after receiving the presidential scholarship, worth $32,000.

    He was also exceptionally bright, scoring a 34 out of 36 on the ACT college aptitude test, according to a post from his mom on Facebook.

    It isn’t clear why he left USU.

    During a press conference Friday morning, Cox said a family member told law enforcement about a conversation at a family gathering prior to Sept. 10, where Robinson mentioned Kirk was coming to UVU.

    The family member said that Robinson had become more political in recent years, Cox said.

    KIRK MUX PRESSER 7AM_SGW_02464.jpg

    Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks during a press conference while joined by FBI Director Kash Patel and other local and federal law enforcement and government officials in the Pope Science Building on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

    During a conversation at the gathering, Robinson mentioned Kirk’s viewpoints, and said Kirk “was full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said.

    The Guardian reported that a high school friend of Robinson’s, who asked to remain anonymous, said Robinson was “pretty left on everything” and was “the only member of his family that was really leftist.” The friend said the other members of Robinson’s family were Republicans.

    The friend told the Guardian, “I knew he (Robinson) had strong political views, but I never thought it would even go near that far.”

    According to state records, Robinson is a registered voter in the state of Utah but is not affiliated with a political party and apparently hasn’t voted in the last two election cycles.

    What was it like to find out that Tyler Robinson is Kirk’s suspected killer?

    Kirk Shooter Hometown_KM_1067.JPG

    Tate Conrad, who grew up going to Boy Scouts with Tyler Robinson, the suspected killer of Charlie Kirk, poses for a portrait outside of his home in Washington on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Kirk was a conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

    “It was shocking, honestly,” Conrad said, when asked how he reacted to the news of Robinson’s arrest. “I didn’t know he was a person capable of something so violent. And it’s hard to digest, because I love Charlie Kirk, and he was an awesome figure.”

    Kirk was one of Conrad’s idols, he’s been listening to him for a year. “Charlie Kirk was somebody who stood for what he believed in. He loved God. And he was just trying to have peaceful interactions with the world,” Conrad said.

    Though Conrad has lost family members and friends close to him before, losing Kirk was different. It felt “like a piece of me was gone,” Conrad said. “It feels like we lost a light, a beacon for hope, because he helped a lot of people my age who were confused and wanted somebody they could talk to.”

    Kirk displayed patience, Conrad said. “That man was a saint. You could see people yelling and screaming at him, and he’d just be sitting there with a smile on his face, having the best time of his life.”

    Robinson’s 11-year-old neighbor reacts to news

    Standing next to his father Cory and little brother Beckham near Robinson’s apartment in St. George, Aiden Bartley, 11, recalled talking to Robinson and being surprised and confused after finding out that a man he had met is Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer.

    Kirk Shooter Hometown_KM_890.JPG

    Aiden Bartley, 11, takes in the scene around him and continues to react to the news that his neighbor Tyler Robinson is the suspected killer of Charlie Kirk, in St. George on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Robinson bought chocolates from Bartley for Bartley’s school fundraiser in the past. Kirk was a conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

    In March, Aiden knocked on every single door in his neighborhood, selling chocolate bars for a school fundraiser.

    “He was really nice,” Aiden said, adding, “He bought, like, three chocolate bars. One was wafer.”

    Aiden said the other kids in his class are really sad about Kirk’s death as well.

    Cory Bartley had been following Charlie Kirk for the past five or six years. He was shocked to find out that Robinson lived just a couple doors away. “Small world,” he said. “It’s so crazy.”

    The Bartleys live near Robinson’s apartment in St. George, where he had at least one roommate.

    In Washington City, Robinson’s father recognized him from the images released by law enforcement officials and told his son to turn himself in. At first he resisted, according to the Associated Press, but then he changed his mind.

    Robinson was arrested for aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice.

    Kirk Shooter Hometown_KM_1872.JPG

    The apartment of Tyler Robinson, who is the suspect in the Utah Valley University killing of Charlie Kirk, is pictured in St. George on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Kirk was a conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

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  • Gov. Cox: Utah can lead the nation in addressing political polarization after the Kirk assassination

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    The nation’s spotlight shined on Utah this week when it became the site of one of the most public political assassinations in U.S. history.

    On Wednesday, Charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative youth organizer, was shot to death in front of a crowd of 3,000 at Utah Valley University, with videos quickly circulating across the country and around the globe.

    The horrific murder of Kirk, who left behind his wife, Erika, and two children under 4, embodied the spiraling political polarization that Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has used his platform to call out and condemn for the past four years.

    “My whole hope is that this is a catalyst to help us find that off-ramp that we desperately need,” Cox said in an interview with the Deseret News on Friday. “And I think Utah is showing the way.”

    What did Gov. Cox say about Charlie Kirk?

    As chair of the National Governors Association from 2023 to 2024, Cox led a “Disagree Better” initiative modeling healthy dialogue between members of opposing political parties. If the nation did not turn down the rhetorical temperature, Cox warned, political violence would increase.

    With the eyes and ears of the nation focused on him at multiple press conferences this week where he took center stage, Cox highlighted Kirk’s focus on the free exchange of ideas and forgiving enemies, while also urging Americans to avoid the “cancer” of social media, to engage in debates with respect and to “stop hating our fellow Americans.”

    Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks during a press conference while joined by FBI Director Kash Patel and other local and federal law enforcement and government officials in the Pope Science Building on the campus of UVU in Orem on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

    The 2nd-term governor, who received praise from across the political spectrum for his messages, framed the tragic episode as a “watershed” moment for the country’s political system that would determine whether the U.S. would reach “the end of a dark chapter” or start “the beginning of a darker” one.

    “All eyes are on Utah. This is also an opportunity to show the country a way through this,” Cox told the Deseret News. “And that way is through kindness and service to our neighbors and building our communities, and I think honoring the things that (Kirk) stood for — which are passionate debate, free speech, a competition of ideas — that go back to the very founding of our nation.”

    What is Disagree Better doing now?

    On Friday, the newly formed Disagree Better nonprofit group, with Cox as its chair, made its debut by directing an event at the Utah Capitol Building to show that Utah’s response to the assassination of Kirk has the potential to help prevent future political violence.

    Disagree Better executive director Marianne Viray gathered with representatives from Brigham Young University’s Wheatley Institute, and other national bridge-building initiatives like Braver Angels, the Dignity Index and Living Room Conversations, whose leadership reside in Utah.

    Bridge Builder Conf_tc_02.JPG

    Marianne Viray, of Disagree Better, speaks at a Utah Bridge Builders press conference where local and national leaders respond to the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

    At the press conference, which was sponsored by Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Viray announced the launch of a new website, TurnToward.us, that Disagree Better’s coalition of partners put together in response to the assassination of Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA.

    “Disagree better was absolutely made to be able to respond to this moment,” Viray told the Deseret News. “This tragic event of this week in Utah has elevated this message and reaching more people than it had previously.”

    The new website features one dozen resources intended to help people navigate the vitriolic political environment, including lessons on building relationships with those with whom they disagree and workshops on how to find common ground with others.

    Rising acceptance of political violence

    Much of the reaction to Kirk’s death on social media does not point to decreasing partisan animosity. Hundreds of posts from apparently left-leaning accounts have been found celebrating the assassination of Kirk as a perceived political enemy.

    Others from the right have declared that what happened to Kirk should lead to greater aggression against their ideological foes. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who considered Kirk a close political ally, said on Thursday “we just have to beat the hell” out of “radical left lunatics.”

    In his interview with the Deseret News, Cox called Trump’s response “very normal” and “how most people are feeling.” The alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Washington County, did, in fact, appear to have been motivated by “a radical left ideology” that had “engulfed” him, Cox said.

    These two mugshots released by the FBI show Tyler Robinson. | FBI

    These two mugshots released by the FBI show Tyler Robinson. | FBI

    But the president has also indicated his desire to deescalate the nation’s recent streak of political violence, Cox said. Cox pointed out that Trump was the first person to call him after his Friday press conference to thank him for his words and to reemphasize Kirk’s message of nonviolence

    However, at least portions of the country appear to becoming less interested in the message Cox has to offer.

    A FIRE poll released on Tuesday found that a record one-third of college students now say that resorting to violence to stop a campus speech is acceptable — even if only rarely.

    On Thursday, a YouGov poll found an astonishing partisan disparity in response to whether individuals thought it was acceptable for a person “to be happy about the death of a public figure they oppose.”

    Of the nearly 4,000 respondents, 77% of Republicans said it is “always unacceptable” to be happy about the death of a public figure they oppose, compared to just 38% of Democrats who felt the same way.

    At Friday’s event, the former leader of Utah Young Republicans, Zac Wilson, and current leader of Utah Young Democrats, Jack Davis, led by example in showing their peers how to cross partisan divides.

    Bridge Builder Conf_tc_06.JPG

    Jack Davis, of Young Democrats, center, looks at Zac Wilson, of Young Republicans, right, at a Utah Bridge Builders press conference where local and national leaders respond to the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

    The duo, who met as BYU students, committed to get lunch together and invest in a real friendship, despite disagreeing on almost all issues, because they agreed on one important issue: ensuring that political violence does not “take root here” and erode the “fundamental right” of free expression in Utah.

    A UVU student, who was a member of Braver Angels, and two BYU students, who started the “Peacemaker Project,” joined other college students at the event, saying that Wednesday’s assassination had convinced them to redouble their efforts to make campuses a place where peaceful debate can thrive.

    Is Utah prepared to respond?

    Each speaker at the event, including Governing Group PAC founder Becky Edwards, and Dignity Index co-founder Tami Pyfer, said Utah was uniquely position to lead the nation after tragedy struck the Beehive State.

    Bridge Builder Conf_tc_13.JPG

    Marianne Viray, of Disagree Better, right, embraces Byron Russell, a founding investor and board member of Redemption Bank, left, at a Utah Bridge Builders press conference where local and national leaders respond to the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

    In his remarks on Friday, Cox said he had prayed that Kirk’s murderer was not a member of the Utah community, known for its unparalleled levels of social capital, charitable giving, volunteer service and religious attendance.

    “I thought it would make it easier on us, if we could just say, hey, we don’t do that here,” Cox told the nation. “But it did happen here, and it was one of us.”

    The fact that Kirk’s murder at the hands of a fellow Utahn felt so personal for so many Utahns is actually evidence of how strong the perception of Utah community is, according to Paul Edwards, the director of BYU’s Wheatley Institute.

    Utah is unique in preserving its sense of community into the 21st century, Edwards said, and now is a time for introspection into how the state can encourage young people to see political opponents as “a person to be engaged” instead of “an object to be eradicated.”

    Patrick Mason, who holds the Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University, also attended the event, after joining other attendees in penning a Deseret News op-ed.

    He said Utah’s unique heritage as a place settled by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bound together by their love of faith, family and freedom is well-suited to respond to the events of Wednesday that rocked Utah communities.

    Orem City Kirk Vigil_tc_10.JPG

    People listen as Jason Preston, of We Are The People Utah, speaks at a vigil for Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA who was fatally shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at City Center Park in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

    “No community anywhere in the United States is immune from the forces of polarization,” Mason told the Deseret News. “The question is not immunity, but resilience. Can we actually respond to when the virus of hate … comes in to our community? Can we produce enough antibodies in order to overtake it?”

    The political assassination that occurred in Orem, Utah is the sad fulfillment of what experts said was coming if the nation’s political discourse continued to worsen, Cox told the Deseret News.

    According to Cox, polarization must be addressed at the individual level. It will take more than one group, or one leader to initiate a lasting shift, and concerned citizens should not wait for an indication from a certain elected official to change their behavior, Cox said.

    “As we’re celebrating 250 years, I think there really is this opportunity to remind us who we are,” Cox said. “It’s certainly an opportunity for all peacemakers in this country.”

    Orem City Kirk Vigil_tc_20.JPG

    People leave candles beneath a photo of Charlie Kirk at a vigil for Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA who was fatally shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at City Center Park in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

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  • What we know about Charlie Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson

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    (CNN) — Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old in custody as the suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, registered to vote with no party affiliation and hadn’t cast a ballot in the two most recent elections.

    But a family member told investigators that Robinson “had become more political in recent years,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said at a press conference Friday morning – and in particular had lashed out at Kirk, the family member said.

    Authorities, who have described Kirk’s killing as a “political assassination,” discovered anti-fascist messages engraved on ammunition with a rifle near the site of the shooting that hint at that political transformation, Cox said.

    Those messages included one that said, “Hey fascist! Catch!” and another that appeared to reference an Italian anti-fascist song.

    Robinson grew up in Washington, Utah, and earned a scholarship to attend Utah State University after a strong academic record in high school, but dropped out after just one semester, according to public records, social media and a university statement.

    Voter registration records show that Robinson is registered to vote unaffiliated with any party, although he is also listed as an “inactive” voter, meaning he hadn’t voted in at least the most recent two general elections.

    Social media photos show Robinson wearing grey Converse shoes and sunglasses that appear similar to those worn by the shooting suspect in photos released by law enforcement earlier this week.

    Cox said at the press conference that a family member of Robinson had reached out to a family friend Thursday night, and the family friend told the Washington County Sheriff’s Office that “Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident.”

    Robinson was taken into custody around 10 p.m. Thursday night, after a 33-hour manhunt, FBI Director Kash Patel said Friday.

    Robinson’s hometown is a quiet suburb of St. George, a city in the southwest corner of the state. It’s about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Utah Valley University, where Kirk was gunned down on Wednesday afternoon while holding a campus event.

    Cox said that a family member of Robinson had told investigators that at a recent family dinner, Robinson had mentioned Kirk’s upcoming Utah Valley event, and “they talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had,” Cox said. “The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate.”

    The bolt-action rifle Robinson used and left in a wooded area near the campus had various phrases engraved on the bullet casings, Cox said, including “Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao ciao,” which appeared to reference an Italian anti-fascist song.

    Other engravings hinted more at connections to online trolling and memes, including one that said, “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”

    Robinson graduated from Pine View High School in St. George in 2021, a spokesperson for the school confirmed. He received a resident presidential scholarship to attend Utah State University, according to a Facebook video his mother posted of him reading a letter about the award.

    A spokesperson for the university said in statement Friday that Robinson “briefly attended Utah State University for one semester in 2021.”

    Kirk’s American Comeback Tour had an event scheduled at Utah State University on September 30.

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    Casey Tolan, Isabelle Chapman, Allison Gordon and CNN

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  • Cox calls for end to political violence, says younger generation has opportunity to ‘embrace our differences’ for the better

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    Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called for an end to political violence while sharing news about an apprehended suspect in the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

    “I don’t want to get too preachy, but I think it’s important that we, with eyes wide open, understand what’s happening in our country today,” Cox said Friday morning at a press conference.

    “I’ve heard people say, ‘Well, why are we so invested in this?’” he said of Kirk’s assassination. “There’s political violence happening all across our country, and violence is tragic everywhere, and every life taken is a child of God who deserves our love and respect and dignity.”

    Cox announced Friday that the suspect accused of killing Kirk had been apprehended and booked into Utah County Jail. He was named as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a resident of Washington County.

    Kirk’s death and the fallout in the days since has reignited a conversation about the increase of political violence across the country. Many have pointed to the June murder of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hoffman, a Democrat, and her husband, as well as the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump while on the campaign trail last year.

    While the investigation is still in its early stages and the suspect’s motive remains largely unknown to the public, discourse online has highlighted partisan differences in the reaction to Kirk’s death.

    FBI Director Kash Patel, center, arrives at the scene of the shooting death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem on Sept. 11, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News

    Cox’s message to end political violence, change the course of history

    “This is certainly about the tragic death … political assassination of Charlie Kirk, but it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual. It is an attack on all of us. It is an attack on the American experiment. It is an attack on our ideals,” Cox said. “This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been and who we could be in better times.”

    Cox noted that Kirk often championed freedom of expression, debating people who disagreed with him. By Kirk being killed, freedom of expression across the country will become more difficult and others will feel discouraged about sharing their ideas and speaking freely, he said.

    “We will never be able to solve all the other problems, including the violence problems that people are worried about, if we can’t have a clash of ideas safely and securely … especially those ideas with which you disagree,” Cox said. “That is why this matters so much.”

    Cox had a message for the young people of Utah and across the country, particularly because Kirk had amassed such a following among the younger generation and spent his career and organization focused on young voters.

    Orem City Kirk Vigil_tc_22.JPG

    Andrew Parry, left, and his fiancee, Anja Albrecht, right, hold candles at a vigil for Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA who was fatally shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at City Center Park in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

    “To my young friends out there, you are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option,” he said, highlighting Kirk’s message of human connection. “But through those words, we have a reminder that we can choose a different path.”

    “Your generation has an opportunity to build a culture that is very different than what we are suffering through right now. Not by pretending differences don’t matter, but by embracing our differences and having those hard conversations,” Cox continued.

    Cox said there is one person responsible for what happened to Kirk and that person is in custody and soon will be charged and held accountable.

    “And yet, all of us have an opportunity right now to do something different,” he said.

    The governor highlighted the vigils and community togetherness that Utahns showed in the days since the shooting.

    “We can return hate with hate. And that’s the problem with political violence, is it metastasizes, because we can always point the finger at the other side,” he said. “And at some point, we have to find an off-ramp or it’s going to get much, much worse.”

    Cox called on Americans, no matter their political beliefs or partisan divide, to choose to change the course of history and the rise of political violence in the United States.

    “These are choices that we can make. History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country, but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us,” Cox said.

    Charlie Kirk Shot_LS_0011.JPG

    Law enforcement vehicles are posted at the entrance of Utah Valley University in Orem following the shooting of conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

    Other leaders weigh in

    Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, one of the largest youth conservative activist organizations in the country, was a staunch supporter of Trump’s. He became a controversial figure when touring the college campuses to debate ideas with students, which could sometimes become heated and have often gone viral online. Kirk was at Utah Valley University on Wednesday to kick off his “American Comeback Tour,” where he hosted his “Prove Me Wrong” debate session.

    In a video message on Wednesday evening after confirming Kirk’s death, Trump called on the American public and the media to “confront the fact that violence and murder” over political disagreements is wrong. He said that the “radical left” compared Kirk to a Nazi and claimed that rhetoric was “directly responsible” for the “terrorism” the country sees today.

    Other political leaders, like former President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris, condemned the political violence and said it has no place in the United States.

    Orem City Kirk Vigil_tc_11.JPG

    People hold lights up to grieve at a vigil for Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA who was fatally shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at City Center Park in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

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  • Teachers in 3 Mass. school districts under investigation after Charlie Kirk death comments

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    Teachers in 3 Mass. school districts under investigation after Charlie Kirk death comments

    At least three Massachusetts school districts are conducting investigations into teachers’ comments on the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

    Framingham Public Schools Superintendent Robert A. Tremblay confirmed to Boston 25 News that a teacher in the district had been placed on leave over a social media post about the death of Kirk, who was shot Wednesday while speaking at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem.

    Tremblay didn’t identify the teacher or comment on the content of the post, but said an internal review was underway.

    “As a District, we are committed to fostering a safe and respectful environment for everyone. We do not condone violence or hateful behavior in any form,” Tremblay said in a statement. “While the law prevents us from discussing specific personnel matters, the employee is on leave pending an internal review. Be assured that we are addressing the situation in full compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.”

    Sharon Public Schools Superintendent Peter J. Botelho and Sharon High School Principal Kristen M. Keenan announced Thursday that they were made aware of a teacher’s social media post that contained “highly inappropriate and insensitive commentary” about Kirk’s death.

    “Today, we were made aware of and were extremely concerned about a recent personal social media post by a member of our staff that has been shared publicly in other social media posts,” Botelho and Keenan wrote in a letter to the school community. “We recognize that this post has caused distress for members of our school community.”

    Botelho and Keenan didn’t identify the teacher in question, and they didn’t comment on the content of the post, only noting that the views don’t reflect the values of the town’s schools.

    “The views expressed in that post categorically do not reflect the values of Sharon High School or Sharon Public Schools. As a district and school, we are and remain committed to fostering an environment grounded in empathy, respect, and thoughtful reflection and dialogue,” Botelho and Keenan wrote. “The post in question is inconsistent with those values, and we are reviewing and addressing the matter in accordance with established district policies and procedures.”

    Botelho and Keenan didn’t say if the teacher would face any disciplinary action.

    That incident comes as teacher at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden was placed on leave over another “inappropriate” social media post about Kirk’s killing.

    “These comments sparked heated debate, millions of views, and brought into question the safety of school operations for both students and staff at WRHS,” the Holden Police Department said in a statement.

    In the wake of the comments, police officers were assigned to patrol the high school campus throughout Thursday out of an abundance of caution.

    Police and school officials didn’t reveal what the teacher’s post stated, but screenshots floating around on social media showed the words, “Just a reminder, we’re NOT offering sympathy.”

    While investigators uncovered no credible threat, Wachusett Regional School District Superintendent James Reilly and School Committee Chair Lauren Salmon-Garrett announced the teacher will remain on leave “for the foreseeable future and is not allowed on school property” while an investigation is conducted.

    “As many are aware, a teacher has been accused of making inappropriate comments in response to this event on her own personal social media page,” Reilly and Salmon-Garrett wrote in a letter to the school community. “Please know that Wachusett Regional School District condemns violence in all forms. Political violence, especially, has no place in our country, and it directly contradicts our nation’s founding principles.”

    The incidents in Framingham, Sharon, and Holden both remain under investigation.

    President Donald Trump announced on Friday morning that Kirk’s suspected killer had been captured. Law enforcement later identified the alleged shooter as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

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  • BREAKING: Charlie Kirk shooter in custody, Trump announces

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    President Donald Trump said Friday morning that the man suspected of fatally shooting right-wing activist Charlie Kirk is in custody, marking a dramatic turn in the high-profile manhunt that has gripped the nation since Wednesday.

    “I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody,” Trump said during an appearance on the Fox News morning show Fox and Friends, noting he had been informed of the development just minutes earlier. “Essentially somebody that was very close to him turned him in.”

    The president offered no name but insisted, “the facts are the facts. We have the person that we think is the person we’re looking for.”

    According to the Associated Press, the suspect is 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah.

    The announcement came less than an hour before law enforcement officials were set to hold a press conference in Utah, where Kirk was gunned down during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. The FBI had released surveillance images on Thursday showing the suspect’s clothing and a video of a figure leaping from a rooftop.

    Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was a prominent figure in conservative politics who built his profile by attacking LGBTQ+ rights and spreading conspiracy theories. His assassination has already inflamed political tensions, with allies demanding swift justice and critics pointing to his legacy of polarizing rhetoric.

    Watch the Utah press conference below.

    – YouTube www.youtube.com

    This story is developing.

    This article originally appeared on Advocate: BREAKING: Charlie Kirk shooter in custody, Trump announces

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  • Trump says ‘with a high degree of certainty’ that suspect in Charlie Kirk killing has been caught

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    The suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination has been captured, President Donald Trump said Friday in an announcement representing a significant breakthrough in the investigation into a targeted killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in the United States.Live video above: Officials address arrest in shooting death of Charlie Kirk“With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump announced in a live interview on Fox News Channel. He said a minister also involved with law enforcement turned the suspect in to authorities.“Somebody that was very close to him said, ‘Hmm, that’s him,’” Trump said.The suspect in custody in connection with Kirk’s killing is a 22-year-old from Utah, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Authorities have identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.The FBI and the Justice Department did not immediately comment, but a news conference in Utah, where the killing took place on a college campus this week, was planned for later Friday. News of the arrest came hours after the FBI and state officials had pleaded for public help by releasing additional photographs of the suspect, a move that seemed to indicate that law enforcement was uncertain of the person’s whereabouts.Kirk was killed by a single shot in what police said was a targeted attack and Utah’s governor called a political assassination. Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA, based in Arizona.Authorities recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle near the scene of the shooting and had said the shooter jumped off a roof and vanished into the nearby woods afterward.Kirk had been speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of Wednesday’s shooting. He was taken to a local hospital and was pronounced dead hours later.“He wanted to help young people, and he didn’t deserve this,” Trump said Friday. “He was really a good person.”Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at the university in Orem.More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to publicly name the suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.Grisly video shared onlineThe attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a college-age appearance, fired one shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed the person then walking through the grass and across the street before disappearing.“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk’s family Thursday in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. Details have not been announced.Kirk was taking questions about gun violenceKirk became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence.The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour.”The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”Attendees barricaded themselves in classroomsSome attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.“With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw swift bipartisan condemnation as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.

    OREM, Utah —

    The suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination has been captured, President Donald Trump said Friday in an announcement representing a significant breakthrough in the investigation into a targeted killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in the United States.

    Live video above: Officials address arrest in shooting death of Charlie Kirk

    “With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump announced in a live interview on Fox News Channel. He said a minister also involved with law enforcement turned the suspect in to authorities.

    “Somebody that was very close to him said, ‘Hmm, that’s him,’” Trump said.

    The suspect in custody in connection with Kirk’s killing is a 22-year-old from Utah, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Authorities have identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

    The FBI and the Justice Department did not immediately comment, but a news conference in Utah, where the killing took place on a college campus this week, was planned for later Friday. News of the arrest came hours after the FBI and state officials had pleaded for public help by releasing additional photographs of the suspect, a move that seemed to indicate that law enforcement was uncertain of the person’s whereabouts.

    Kirk was killed by a single shot in what police said was a targeted attack and Utah’s governor called a political assassination. Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA, based in Arizona.

    Authorities recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle near the scene of the shooting and had said the shooter jumped off a roof and vanished into the nearby woods afterward.

    Kirk had been speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of Wednesday’s shooting. He was taken to a local hospital and was pronounced dead hours later.

    “He wanted to help young people, and he didn’t deserve this,” Trump said Friday. “He was really a good person.”

    Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at the university in Orem.

    More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to publicly name the suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.

    Grisly video shared online

    The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.

    The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.

    The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a college-age appearance, fired one shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed the person then walking through the grass and across the street before disappearing.

    “I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.

    Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk’s family Thursday in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.

    “So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”

    Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. Details have not been announced.

    Kirk was taking questions about gun violence

    Kirk became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.

    One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence.

    The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour.”

    The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”

    Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”

    Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms

    Some attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.

    On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.

    Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.

    “With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.

    Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw swift bipartisan condemnation as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.

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  • Trump says ‘with a high degree of certainty’ that suspect in Charlie Kirk killing has been caught

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    President Donald Trump said Friday that the suspect in the Charlie Kirk killing has been captured.“With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump announced in a live interview on Fox News Channel on Friday morning.Trump said a minister who is also involved with law enforcement turned in the suspect to authorities.“Somebody that was very close to him said, ‘Hmm, that’s him,’” Trump said.Kirk was killed by a single shot Wednesday in what police said was a targeted attack and Utah’s governor called a political assassination. Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA and was a close ally of Trump.Authorities recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle near the scene and had said the shooter jumped off a roof and vanished into the woods after the shooting.Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of the shooting. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead hours later.Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to publicly name the suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.Grisly video shared onlineThe attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a college-age appearance, fired one shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed the person then walking through the grass and across the street before disappearing.“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk’s family Thursday in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. Details have not been announced.Kirk was taking questions about gun violenceKirk became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence.The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour.”The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”Attendees barricaded themselves in classroomsSome attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.“With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw swift bipartisan condemnation as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.

    President Donald Trump said Friday that the suspect in the Charlie Kirk killing has been captured.

    “With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump announced in a live interview on Fox News Channel on Friday morning.

    Trump said a minister who is also involved with law enforcement turned in the suspect to authorities.

    “Somebody that was very close to him said, ‘Hmm, that’s him,’” Trump said.

    Kirk was killed by a single shot Wednesday in what police said was a targeted attack and Utah’s governor called a political assassination. Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA and was a close ally of Trump.

    Authorities recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle near the scene and had said the shooter jumped off a roof and vanished into the woods after the shooting.

    Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of the shooting. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead hours later.

    Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.

    More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to publicly name the suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.

    Grisly video shared online

    The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.

    The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.

    The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a college-age appearance, fired one shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed the person then walking through the grass and across the street before disappearing.

    “I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.

    Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk’s family Thursday in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.

    “So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”

    Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. Details have not been announced.

    Kirk was taking questions about gun violence

    Kirk became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.

    One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence.

    The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour.”

    The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”

    Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”

    Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms

    Some attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.

    On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.

    Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.

    “With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.

    Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw swift bipartisan condemnation as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.

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  • ‘Millions of Charlie Kirks’: Mourners say shooting won’t slow a movement

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    OREM, Utah — One by one, mourners made their way to the college campus where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and to the hospital where he had been rushed and then pronounced dead.

    Some were longtime devotees who said he had changed their lives. Others had barely heard of him but wanted to promote civility and healing in a suburban stretch of Utah’s Wasatch Front that they hope will remain a peaceful “Family City USA.”

    Some were angry and wanted people to know why.

    Kirk was shot and killed Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University, where he had brought his speaking tour to a rapt crowd. Authorities were still hunting for the shooter the next day. The university remained out of session, reeling after the horror of Kirk’s final appearance.

    The mourners dropped flowers, shed tears and carried signs with pointed messages. A makeshift memorial took shape in front of Timpanogos Regional Hospital. It grew through the morning as people left flowers, lit candles and placed supportive placards around the entry sign on the hospital’s lawn. “Peacemakers wanted!” read one sign propped against an ornamental tuft of grass.

    Annika Orozco brought white roses to lay at the site. The 25-year-old Orozco, who lives in Provo, had been born at the hospital.

    She said Kirk had profoundly influenced the course of her life, starting when she was 18 and first saw a video of him. Following his message, she said, she had married instead of going to college, and had become an entrepreneur. She and her husband are preparing to open a gym this winter.

    “I actually didn’t go to college because of Charlie Kirk and it’s the best decision I ever made,” Orozco said. “I believe strongly that college is teaching woke ideology.”

    It’s something she said Kirk drove home on campuses by telling women they were being taught that marriage is wrong, or a trap.

    Back home: Kirk in Phoenix after JD Vance carried his casket onto Air Force Two

    She said Kirk taught that America was founded on “correct ideals” and that God and family should be top priorities. She chose white roses to symbolize God and angels in Kirk’s honor.

    While sad and angry over the shooting, she said, she believes those ideals will prevail, and that her generation will be the one to save the country from “crumbling, woke ideals.”

    Violence won’t quiet Kirk’s voice, she said.

    “If their agenda was to silence this movement, that was the worst thing that they could have possibly done,” she said.

    “I think they created millions of Charlie Kirks.”

    ‘We need to look past’ divisions, Orem councilmember says

    Orem City Councilmember Jenn Gale laid daisies at the memorial, then walked around it to read and photograph the tributes left there.

    She especially appreciated the sign that said, “Peacemakers wanted!” Neighbors should view each other as neighbors, she said, and not as “woke” or “MAGA.”

    Where did Charlie Kirk live? What to know about his ties to Arizona

    “We need to look past all that and get to community,” Gale said.

    She had not known much about Kirk before, she said, and had visited the memorial to support community members and see how they were grieving. That such an event could happen in her city came as a shock, she said, coming shortly after she had told someone that she believed Orem to be among the safest places in the world. It’s called “Family City USA,” she noted.

    “Their safe world has been violated,” Gale said. Still, she expects residents to rally to each other’s support.

    “We’re resilient,” she said. “I believe we will find the good in this and that we’ll love each other more and better.”

    Kirk shooting is ‘opening my eyes’

    Albert Berriel, of Provo, was unfamiliar Charlie Kirk until his 30-year-old daughter called from Avondale, Arizona, crying about the shooting. He searched for video and liked the message he heard from Kirk.

    “It’s opening my eyes,” the 56-year-old said.

    On the morning of Sept. 11, Berriel brought two candles to light at the hospital memorial. Tears streaked down his face after he placed the candles among dozens of others.

    ‘They want us silenced’: College Republicans respond to Charlie Kirk’s death

    “It hurts,” he said.

    “We live in the United States. Our freedom is very important to us, to me. What he spoke was right.”

    ‘A turning point’ for the nation?

    Kelly Quirarte, 57, said she punched a wall in her Lehi, Utah, home when she heard about Kirk’s shooting.

    “Why here?” she wondered. “Why in Utah? We’re a red state. This shouldn’t’ happen here.”

    The next afternoon, she brought her daughter and three grandchildren to the Utah Valley University campus where Kirk was shot to pay their respects and leave a bouquet.

    Kirk’s message of faith stirred her, she said, and it will live on through the Trump administration. He was the same age as her daughter, she said, and “had so much ahead of him. He was sent here to do God’s work.”

    “I think more people need God in their lives,” she said. “I think we need God in schools, and Trump’s going to do that.”

    Opinion: Charlie Kirk’s death is tragic. And the truth is still the truth

    For now, Quirarte said, she hopes the shock of this shooting will cause people to reflect, to discuss their differences, and to disagree more peacefully.

    “I think this is a turning point,” she said, echoing the name of the organization that Kirk led. “I really do. I think this is going to be a turning point. I pray that’s the case.”

    Kirk ‘would sit down and talk to people’

    Alex Shepherd drove to Orem from his home in Boise, Idaho, the evening after Kirk’s killing with a message for the media and others assembled near the scene of the crime.

    “Democrats killed Charlie Kirk IMO,” he wrote on a placard, the initials meaning “in my opinion.” He said he felt it was important to add that part in honor of Kirk, who he said was a First Amendment champion. Shepherd didn’t want to censor anyone, he said, but wanted to use his right of free speech to make his point.

    Left-wing politicians and media seeded the nation with hatred by labeling their opponents “Nazis” and “fascists.”

    “That leads people to believe that we’re evil, we’re the devil and Charlie Kirk is the devil,” he said, “and then of course someone’s going to go and kill him because that kind of rhetoric is being spread.”

    “I think we need to call them out on it.”

    Shepherd said he concurred with Kirk’s views that people cannot change their gender, that religion is key to a healthy society and that First Amendment rights are vital.

    “Charlie Kirk was amazing,” he said. “I didn’t agree with him on everything. But unlike a lot of online influencers, he would come to college campuses, he would sit down and talk with people, and talk is so important in today’s society. That prevents political polarization.”

    This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mourners say Charlie Kirk started a movement that won’t end

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  • FBI releases image of ‘person of interest’ in Charlie Kirk shooting

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    The manhunt for the person who shot and killed influential US conservative activist Charlie Kirk continued on Thursday, as the FBI released pictures of the suspect.

    “We are asking for the public’s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University,” the bureau said in a post on X featuring pictures of an unidentified man.

    “The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk,” it added.

    The agency said that a high-powered weapon was found in a wooded area and released a video and photos showing a person climbing down from a roof, jumping to the ground and quickly walking away.

    Kirk, a prominent supporter of US President Donald Trump, was shot in the neck while speaking at an outdoor event at the university on Wednesday and later died of his injuries.

    More than 7,000 leads in hunt for suspect

    Authorities said the shooter may have fired from a rooftop. More than 7,000 tips have been received so far, Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox told reporters, with nearly 200 interviews conducted.

    Kirk’s casket was flown from Utah to Arizona, where he had lived, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha. Television footage showed Kirk’s wife being helped off the plane by Usha Vance. Trump said in Washington that he expects to attend the funeral.

    Trump ordered flags at the White House and embassies worldwide to be flown at half-mast.

    During an event at the Pentagon on Thursday marking the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Trump said that he is posthumously awarding Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, broadcaster NBC reported.

    “Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump said.

    Utah governor mentions death penalty

    Authorities believe it was a targeted attack. Cox has classified the shooting as a “political assassination” and told a press conference: “I just want to remind people that we still have the death penalty here in the state of Utah.”

    Two people were taken into custody following the shooting on Wednesday but were later released, Utah officials said.

    Kirk, 31, did not hold elected office but was a powerful force in grassroots conservative politics, leading youth organization Turning Point USA, hosting a popular podcast and attracting millions of followers on social media.

    He spoke at Trump campaign rallies in last year’s election and addressed the Republican National Convention.

    Political violence is a growing concern in the deeply polarized country, affecting both Republicans and Democrats at all levels of government.

    Gun violence is a persistent issue, including on school and university campuses.

    Handguns and larger firearms are widely available, and mass shootings frequently spark debate over stricter gun laws. Efforts at reform have repeatedly stalled due to opposition from Republicans and the influential gun lobby.

    An undated handout photo provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows a person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. -/Federal Bureau of Investigation/dpa

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  • FBI offers reward for information leading to arrest of Charlie Kirk shooter

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    OREM, Utah (ABC4) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a reward for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the individual who shot and killed Charlie Kirk.

    On September 10, 2025, Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while hosting a debate on Utah Valley University campus. The shooter fled on foot and has remained at large.

    LIVE UPDATES: FBI releases new video of suspect, Gov Cox reiterates death penalty will be pursued

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released photo and video footage of the suspect and are asking the public for their help in identifying the suspect. As an incentive, anyone who provides information that identifies the suspect and leads to their arrest may be rewarded up to $100,000.

    Previous FBI Rewards

    Notably, this isn’t the first time that the FBI has offered a reward for information. Previously, they offered an award of up to $50,000 in addition to New York Police Department’s $10,000, in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

    Five days after the shooting, a McDonald’s employee spotted an individual, later identified as Luigi Mangione, who matched the suspect’s description and reported it to the FBI. Mangione was arrested for allegedly murdering Thompson and is set to appear in court later this year.

    The tipster has reportedly not received the reward money, though that may be due to particular wording on the FBI’s part. The reward was offered for information leading to the “arrest and conviction”, and nobody has been convicted for the shooting yet.

    Rewards are also available for those who help catch one of the FBI’s ten most wanted fugitives. For information leading directly to the arrest of one, tipsters can now make up to $250,000.

    The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitive list. Courtesy: Federal Bureau of Investigation

    For information leading to the arrest of one fugitive, Ruja Ignatova, the FBI is offering an award of up to $5 million.

    “The FBI recognizes the crucial role that public assistance has played in tracking fugitives throughout the years,” Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division said, regarding the reward for fugitives. “Raising the rewards for the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives will ideally garner additional public tips resulting in the capture of these dangerous criminals.”

    UVU Tipline

    The reward offers certainly don’t replace official investigative work, but they can help provide leads for investigators to follow up on. Since its launch yesterday afternoon, the Charlie Kirk shooting tipline has reportedly received thousands of tips.

    Individuals can submit tips by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or by visiting their website here.

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    New images of “person of interest” in Charlie Kirk killing – CBS News










































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    Officials in Utah have released new images of a “person of interest” wanted in connection to the killing of Charlie Kirk. CBS News’ Anna Schecter and Nancy Cordes have more.

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  • A quiet Utah town reckons with Charlie Kirk’s shooting: ‘Nothing like this has happened here’

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    Orem, Utah, a sleepy suburb of roughly 100,000 people at the feet of the Wasatch mountains, never asked for the national spotlight.

    But in the wake of the killing of far-right activist Charlie Kirk in front of a packed audience at a university in the heart of town, the weight of the nation’s gaze was inescapable. A forest of American flags planted atop a highway interpass next to Utah Valley University (UVU), where Kirk was shot. A campus on lockdown and makeshift memorials. The ubiquitous presence of local cops and FBI agents.

    With the shock of Kirk’s death fresh and a manhunt for the shooter still under way, many in the community are coming to terms with the magnitude of what happened here, and are split on the legacy Kirk leaves behind.

    “I’m sad and just shocked. Nothing like this has ever happened in Utah, to this extent,” said Brice Nokes, 27. On Thursday, Nokes was standing at the UVU campus entrance holding a sign that said “I believe in you” in bold capital letters. He took it to the university’s entrance today, hoping to help spread positivity in the wake of the killing.

    The campus, usually abuzz with more than 40,000 undergraduates, was silent on this sunny Thursday morning, with roads blocked off and law enforcement and media outnumbering civilians. Caution tape blocked off the amphitheater where the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder, a mammoth figure in the world of rightwing youth organizing, was shot.

    Kirk’s “Prove Me Wrong” pop-up tent – where attendees were invited to debate the rightwing provocateur on his tour of college campuses – was still standing. Students’ personal belongings, from backpacks to water bottles, were strewn throughout the stand, left on the ground mid-escape.

    Tanner Lundquist, 31, and a former UVU student who came back to campus on Thursday, said that his community was “not meant to be on the world stage”.

    “For me it’s very disturbing to see a courtyard where I used to do homework on CNN, on Fox News,” Lundquist said.

    Makeshift memorials and vigils have popped up across town over the last 24 hours. Beneath UVU’s large steel and green nameplate, a bouquet of flowers was strewn on the sidewalk. American flags and homemade placards adorned the sign outside Timpanogos regional hospital, where Kirk was pronounced dead.

    Wendy Lucas, 44, wearing a camouflage cap, walked up to a memorial at UVU, said a prayer, and added a small American flag and two small panda action figures to the pile. The pandas were for Kirk’s two children, Lucas said.

    “Every life should be valuable,” Lucas said. “This should not happen.”

    Faith runs deep in Utah county, which comprises Orem, Provo and much of the southern greater Salt Lake area, and where an estimated 72% of the population are Mormon.

    Kimberly Clark, 50, speaking in the parking lot of the Orem Walmart, said that the shooting has left her community shaken, and, like many, she has taken comfort in the Church of Latter-day Saints.

    “It was surreal, but I feel like the community, more than anything, is pulling together,” Clark said. “I’ve had friends text me making sure my kids were OK.”

    Emily Patterson, 51, said that many of the students fleeing the shooting gathered nearby at the white-sided, 218ft tall Orem temple.

    “A lot of people walked straight over to it and stayed on the grounds or went in,” Patterson said. “They were gathering there to feel comfort.”

    An inflection point for political violence?

    Some conservatives in town expected that Kirk’s death would become a flashpoint in an already deeply divided nation, and anticipated that tensions might “boil over.”

    Lundquist and his father, Steven, 64, both described themselves as conservative, and saw the shooting as an inflection point for political violence – likening what might come next to a dam breaking.

    Lundquist said he was speaking out because he “feared being silenced”, and felt that Kirk stood for the same.

    “A god-fearing country with Christian values. That’s what Charlie Kirk represented, what we’re being told is evil, what we’re being told is wrong,” Tanner said. “Our fear is that that voice is going to be shut by college campuses where the young minds of America are being educated.”

    His father, Steven, echoed the concerns of liberal indoctrination, calling those in higher education “godless”. Steven also said the killing made him concerned about openly practicing his Christian faith.

    “I go to church every Sunday and I bring my family,” he said, “I look at those doors and I wonder if somebody is gonna burst in here with semi-automatic weapons and start blasting.”

    Steven acknowledged that his fears were “not different” from those faced by children going to school in the United States, where shootings are grimly commonplace. Kirk himself was outspoken in his support of the second amendment, saying that a certain number of gun deaths every year was a “prudent deal” to “protect our God-given rights”.

    Some, however, said it was important not to to shy away from Kirk’s divisive viewpoints, or “put him on a pedestal”.

    Jonathan Crow, 24, was alarmed by both the shooting and the legacy Kirk leaves behind.

    “We condemn any form of political violence ever to exist,” Crow said, standing outside a grocery store with bags in his hands. “But we should also condemn the hateful rhetoric Charlie Kirk has had throughout his entire life against women, people of color, against minority groups, against the Muslim community.”

    Isabella Roque, 24, felt similarly, drawing a clear boundary between Kirk’s actions in life and his violent death.

    “His death has a specific meaning, which is that it’s important not to react violently to political disagreements,” Roque said, standing beside Crow. “His life meant something else.”

    To Roque, it is important to not “romanticize” Kirk.

    “His death is not private. His death does not only affect his family and his friends, it affects the entire nation,” Roque said. “In that respect, I think that it is even more important to be honest about who he was.”

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  • String of bomb threats force evacuations at HBCUs & DNC HQ after Charlie Kirk shooting

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    The Democratic National Committee and several historically Black colleges and universities have been forced to evacuate or have locked down after receiving threats the day after far-right pundit Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at an event on a Utah campus.

    Capitol Police responded to a “potential security concern” at the DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, which was deemed to be a non-credible bomb threat.

    “This afternoon, there was a bomb threat to DNC HQ that was determined to not be credible by the U.S. Capitol Police,” a DNC spokesperson told Axios. “Out of an abundance of caution, Capitol Police is conducting an interior sweep of the building. As DNC Chair Ken Martin has said, political violence in every form has no place in our country. We are grateful to the U.S. Capitol Police and DNC building security for responding quickly and professionally.”

    Meanwhile, several HBCUs went under lockdown Thursday, including Alabama State University, Virginia State University, Hampton University, Southern University, Bethune-Cookman Univeristy, and Clark Atlanta University, according to local news outlets.

    Alabama State announced it would be suspending all campus activities on Thursday after a “terroristic threat” was directed at the campus. Police have since issued an all clear, though campus will remain closed. Southern University has also been cleared, but activities will main canceled throughout the weekend.

    Shelter-in-place warnings have been lofted at Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University, the Atlanta Police Department told Atlanta News First. Spelman officials told the outlet that while no threats have been made toward the college, due to their proximity to other universities facing threats they have “increased security presence across campus.”

    Virginia State “remains on lockdown as we continue to prioritize the safety of our students, faculty, and staff,” it said in a statement, adding that “VSU Police, in coordination with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, is actively investigating the credibility of the threat received earlier today.”

    Hampton University also canceled classes for Thursday and Friday, saying in a statement, “Hampton University has received notice of a potential threat and has ceased all non-essential activity, effective immediately.”

    The Daytona Beach Police Department said in a statement that it is “actively investigating a reported threat directed at Bethune-Cookman University” and that “the campus has been placed on lockdown while officers work to ensure the safety of the students and staff.”

    While law enforcement has not confirmed what motivated the threats, they come one day after Kirk, the anti-LGBTQ+ commentator who founded Turning Point USA, died after being shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Despite no suspects or motivations being known, conservatives online have blamed “the left” for Kirk’s murder and vowed revenge.

    Democratic Rep. Troy Carter of Louisiana, where Southern University is located, strongly condemned the threats against Black institutions in a statement posted to social media, saying that “HBCUs are pillars of excellence, resilience, and progress. They have nurtured leaders, broken down barriers, and carried forward the torch of justice and equality in America. Any threat against them is a threat against us all.”

    “I am calling on the full weight of the federal government — including the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI — to utilize every available resource to identify, apprehend, and prosecute those responsible,” Carter said. “These attacks cannot be tolerated, minimized, or ignored. They must be met with swift and decisive action.”

    This article originally appeared on Advocate: String of bomb threats force evacuations at HBCUs & DNC HQ after Charlie Kirk shooting

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