Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News that he can say with a high degree of certainty that the assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been taken into custody.
The president's announcement was confirmed by an official source to the New York Times. The gunman was taken into custody at 11 p.m. local time. His name, however, is not being released at this time because the investigation is still ongoing. According to sources at the Guardian, the gunman was 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
The US president said that a law enforcement officer allegedly recognized the shooter and contacted the man's father. The gunman's father then took his son to the police station. CNN sources said the gunman confessed to his father, who then notified authorities and took his son to safety until he was taken into custody.
Trump said he hopes the man is sentenced to death. Utah, which has the death penalty, has said Republican Governor Spencer Cox has indicated to him that he would support the execution of the gunman.
Trump also said he didn't watch the videos of the assassination because he didn't want to remember Kirk based on the footage. He did, however, call Kirk's wife, who is devastated but wants to continue Kirk's movement, Turning Point.
The FBI's Salt Lake City office released photos Thursday of the man wanted in connection with Kirk's killing. They are asking for the public's help identify him. The man in the photos is wearing jeans, a dark, long-sleeved T-shirt with an American flag graphic, sunglasses and a baseball cap.
The FBI has offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the identification or arrest of the attacker.
Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck on Wednesday at a university event in Utah, where he was answering a student question about trans shooters. The 31-year-old was taken to hospital but died a short time later. (via The Guardian)
