The suspect

The arrested man is 22 years old, named Tyler R., and is from the state of Utah, where Kirk was shot dead on a university campus on Wednesday. According to initial findings, the young man comes from a Republican family in the strictly conservative city of St. George, about 250 kilometers southwest of the crime scene. Neighbors reported to US media that the family belongs to the Mormon faith. R. was in his third year of an electrician apprenticeship and had studied for a semester at Utah State University in 2021.

The motif

Utah's Republican Governor Spencer Cox said at a press conference that Tyler R. has"become more political" in recent years. A member of his family testified that he had expressed criticism of activist Kirk's upcoming appearance in Utah and his ultra-right views. Tyler R. was registered to vote in Utah, but not for a particular party.

According to Governor Cox, investigators found two unused cartridge cases with anti-fascist slogans near the crime scene. One cartridge case was engraved with the words"Hey, Fascist! Catch!", while the other bore the words"Bella Ciao," apparently a reference to the anthem of Italian resistance fighters during World War II. Other cartridges were reportedly marked with symbols and words from online games.

Photo gallery: Charlie Kirk: Trump activist shot dead in assassination attempt

The arrest

Following the attack in the city of Orem, authorities released surveillance camera footage showing a young man wearing a baseball cap and dark clothing and appealed to the public for information. R.'s father reportedly confronted his son about his resemblance to the mug shots, whereupon the 22-year-old confessed to the crime.

According to Governor Cox, a family member of R. contacted a friend of the family on Thursday evening. The friend then informed the Washington County police that R. had confessed to the crime. R. was finally arrested approximately 33 hours after the attack.

The reactions

"I hope he gets the death penalty," Trump told Fox News about the alleged perpetrator. R. is being investigated on suspicion of murder, and murder is punishable by death in Utah.

Before Tyler R.'s arrest, the president had blamed"radical leftists" for Kirk's death and called his slain supporter a "martyr." In an interview with Fox News on Friday, he reiterated:"The radicals on the left are the problem, and they are vicious and terrible and politically skilled."

Governor Cox, however, called on the country to end politically motivated violence, which affects all sides. Anger is not a political stance, he told young people. The attack was an"attack on the American experiment" and the ideals of the United States.

Kirk's widow announced in a live internet address on Friday that she would continue her husband's political work:"The tears of this widow will echo throughout the world like a battle cry."

The weapons question

In a wooded area near the crime scene, investigators found the suspected murder weapon, a rifle commonly used for hunting or by army snipers.

Activist Kirk was a supporter of the right to bear arms, enshrined in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He argued that the U.S. must"accept some gun deaths" annually in order to "protect God-given rights."