Donald Trump gave an interview to Fox News, in which he said that the killer of Charlie Kirk has most likely been caught. The conservative influencer was shot on Wednesday while giving a speech at Valley University in Utah. The news came before 11 pm Hungarian time that Charlie Kirk did not survive the assassination. The Daily Mail named the activist's killer as a 22-year-old young man from Utah.
Our article is being updated...
A massive manhunt has been launched for the killer of American conservative influencer Charlie Kirk after the 31-year-old activist was shot at Valley University in Utah, where he was giving a lecture. The activist was sitting in a tent when the gunshot rang out. He then leaned back in his chair, clutching his neck. The crowd panicked and ran. The assassination, and later news of his death, was confirmed by Turning Point USA, the youth organization founded by Charlie Kirk.
The US president told Fox News that:
"I think we got it."
Donald Trump is confident that the perpetrator will receive the death penalty. The suspected killer of Charlie Kirk was caught by police more than 36 hours after the activist was shot. According to Trump, the suspected killer was turned in by a close relative. CNN citing several sources reports that the attacker confessed to his actions to his father, who notified authorities. No further details about the attacker were released, the US president said that a statement would be issued on Friday evening.
FOX NEWS ALERT: @POTUS says authorities have Charlie Kirk's assassin in custody and that someone close to the suspect helped turn him in.
—FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) September 12, 2025
The US president also said that the family of the murdered activist would like to continue the work of Turning Point USA. US investigators said on Thursday that they found a rifle that was believed to have been used in the shooting, the weapon was found in a wooded area not far from the scene.
A manhunt has begun for the killer.
Utah authorities on Thursday released new video footage of Kirk's killer's escape. The footage clearly shows the unknown assailant running across the roof of the building and then disappearing into the woods, where police later found the gun. Security cameras captured the man running down the roof, leaving footprints that experts believe were Converse sneakers. The assailant then ran across the grassy area next to the parking lot and disappeared into the woods.
We are seeking the public's help in identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
— Utah Public Safety (@UtahDPS) September 11, 2025
1-800-CALL-FBI
Digital media tips: https://t.co/8x77cwCBnr pic.twitter.com/5y2QgXwwlG
The authorities leading the investigation frankly admitted that they had no idea whether the killer was still hiding in Utah or had long since crossed state lines. Particularly disturbing was the fact that a university student had spotted a suspicious man walking around the roof of the Losee Center during the day two weeks before the shooting—the very spot from which he later fired the fatal shot.
Activist's killer identified
The suspect in the murder of Charlie Kirk has been identified as Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident, the Daily Mail reports. The New York Times reported that the young man was taken into custody in Utah around 11 p.m. Thursday night.
Little is known about Robinson at this time, and a motive for the shooting has not yet been released. Authorities said at a press conference Thursday night that Robinson could face the death penalty if found guilty of the assassination.
FBI Director could be under investigation
Current and former FBI officials have criticized FBI Director Kash Patel's inaccurate statement that a shooting suspect had been captured, Reuters Moments before authorities at the scene of the Utah shooting briefed the press on Wednesday, Patel announced on social media that the person responsible for the shooting had been taken into custody.
This claim was quickly denied by local officials, causing hours of confusion before the FBI clarified that two people had been questioned and released after the incident. Current and former U.S. officials called Patel's announcement counterproductive. A White House source said several people had said that the FBI director's"performance was unacceptable to the White House or the American public" and that they would address the matter.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Charles James Kirk was born on October 14, 1993, in the Arlington Heights suburb of Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in nearby Prospect Heights. His father was an architect and his mother was a mental health counselor. As a child, he was a member of the Boy Scouts of America, reaching the highest rank of “Eagle Scout.” He became involved in politics in high school, volunteering in the 2010 campaign of Illinois Republican Senator Mark Kirk, and protesting cafeteria price increases at his school. The name of the Christian and Republican activist who was shot may be less well-known in Hungary, but in the United States he has a multi-million-strong following and is considered one of the most influential conservative media personalities.
He is best known as the founder of Turning Point USA, which he founded in 2012. It is a non-profit youth organization that aims to spread conservative ideas among students at American universities. Kirk is an avid supporter of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. He has spoken at Republican rallies several times, and Trump has responded by giving a major speech at a Turning Point conference in Arizona.
He became one of Trump's top allies.
Charlie Kirk became a well-known media personality with The Charlie Kirk Show, which he hosted from 2021 until his death, and which was among the most popular political shows on Apple Podcasts. According to a 2023 study by the Brookings Institution, the podcast was a major source of misleading claims in the American political media. In February 2025, the activist signed a contract with Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) to host a new talk show, Charlie Kirk Today. He has been an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump's policies, criticizing his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, critical race theory, and the scientific consensus on climate change. His conservative views and sharp debating style have brought him national recognition, but have also drawn criticism.
The young activist had close ties to the Trump family from an early age, being a close confidant of Donald Trump and a friend of the president's eldest son. Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action played a key role in Trump's return to the White House in 2024: for example, the"Chase the Vote" program in Arizona mobilized hundreds of thousands of voters who played a decisive role in winning the state. As of September 2025, Charlie had 8.6 million followers on Instagram, while his pages were followed by 6.4 million on Facebook and 5.5 million on X.
“No one understood or knew the hearts of young Americans better than Charlie. Everyone loved and admired him, especially me”
– Donald Trump wrote on his social media page when he announced the news of his death. His Vice President, J. D. Vance, praised Charlie as a friend and called him a “good man.”
Casket of murdered activist transported to Arizona
Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika Frantzve, held a small rosary in her hand and waved to supporters from the back window of an SUV, showing a cross. The 31-year-old mother of two accompanied her husband's casket from Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport to the Hansen Mortuary Chapel on Thursday night, as a crowd waving American flags greeted the procession.
Keep praying for Erika Kirk, this picture is hard to see 💔
— vanessa (@nessacastil) September 12, 2025
Vice President J.D. Vance arranged the flight after the attack and personally attended Kirk's widow's funeral. The 41-year-old vice president canceled a Sept. 11 memorial service at Ground Zero in Manhattan to travel to Utah with his wife, Usha Vance, to visit Kirk's family. Erika Frantzve and Usha Vance walked hand in hand down the steps of Air Force 2 at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport as the wooden casket was lifted into the hearse that would carry Kirk's remains to the chapel, 10 miles away.
