…Charlie Kirk was gunned down by a single shot to the neck on Wednesday during a speaking engagement in Orem.
OREM, UNITED STATES – The iNews Times | Authorities have arrested the prime suspect in the fatal shooting of prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, days after the brazen attack during a university event in Utah that stunned conservative circles across America.
US President Donald Trump, speaking Friday in a live interview with Fox News, confirmed the suspect had been taken into custody following a massive manhunt involving over 20 law enforcement agencies.
“Somebody very close to him turned him in,” Trump revealed. “The person was involved with law enforcement, but was a person of faith, a minister, and brought him to a US Marshal who was fantastic. They drove into the police headquarters, and he’s there now.”
The president added, “We have the person that we think is the person we’re looking for.”
Charlie Kirk, 31, a staunch Trump ally and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was gunned down by a single shot to the neck on Wednesday during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in Orem. Police believe the shooter fired from a rooftop approximately 200 yards away using a high-powered bolt-action rifle.
Security footage released Thursday showed a man fleeing the rooftop in Converse shoes, a black baseball cap, and sunglasses. He was later seen entering a wooded area where the weapon was eventually recovered.
The politically charged assassination has ignited grief and outrage across the conservative media landscape. Supporters have hailed Charlie Kirk as a martyr for conservative ideals, describing his death as a devastating blow to their movement.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox, in a press briefing Friday, confirmed that the state intends to pursue the death penalty in the case. “This was a targeted political killing, and justice must be swift and firm,” Cox stated.
Reflecting the symbolic weight of the killing, Vice President JD Vance offered his official aircraft, Air Force Two, to transport Charlie Kirk’s body to his home city of Phoenix. A solemn video showed Vance solemnly resting his hands on the casket as it was loaded onto the aircraft.
At Utah Valley University, students expressed shock and fear. Dave Sanchez, 26, who witnessed the shooting, said it felt like “losing a family member.” “We watch him all the time. It really does feel like one of your own has been taken,” he told AFP.
A candlelight vigil at nearby Orem Park drew hundreds of mourners wearing red MAGA caps and waving American flags. Many described the killing as “surreal” and feared it marked a dangerous escalation in America’s deepening political divisions.
Charlie Kirk, a father of two, built a formidable online following through TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where he championed anti-immigration stances, gun rights, and evangelical Christian values. He was known for his confrontational debates on college campuses and his sharply edited videos that frequently went viral.
As condolences pour in and the legal process begins, President Trump has urged his supporters to remain peaceful. “We need justice, not vengeance,” he said.
The arrest marks a critical turning point in the investigation, but many questions remain about the motives behind the killing and whether others may have been involved.
