From attack to arrest in 33 hours: Tracking the Charlie Kirk assassination

Who is Charli Kirk? What was he doing when he was killed?

Kirk, the co-founder of the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA, was addressing nearly 3,000 students at UVU in Orem Wednesday, as part of a series of speaking engagements.  As he was debating gun violence involving transgender people, a single gunshot rang out. Graphic videos circulating online then showed Kirk clutching his neck as blood gushed out and the 31-year-old conservative influencer slumped back into his chair inside a tent. Panic swept through the courtyard as spectators screamed and fled.

Authorities stated that the shooter had climbed onto a nearby rooftop, fired one round from a high-powered bolt-action rifle, and then fled the scene. Surveillance footage captured a man in a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a black shirt bearing an eagle and American flag, running across the roof before disappearing into nearby woods.

The FBI later recovered the rifle in that wooded area. Engravings on bullets and digital evidence would later prove critical in tracking down the suspect.

Trump vows action, Obama says no place for such violence

After news of kirk’s killing, Trump said this was a dark moment for America. He called Kirk “Great, and even Legendary” and promised that his administration would track down those responsible for Kirk’s killing. “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump said. The Republican leader also ordered American flags to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening.

Leaders across party lines have condemned the shooting incident. US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered condolences. On the Democratic side, former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden reacted, and said there was no place in America for such violence.

The manhunt after the assassination

Initially, two individuals were arrested on the day of the shooting but released after police confirmed they were not involved. On Thursday, investigators released video and photo images of the suspected shooter, asking the public for help. More than 7,000 tips came in as national outrage mounted.

Speaking on Fox News, President Trump condemned the killing as a “political assassination” and pledged to award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Vice-President Vance and his wife visited Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City.

A suspect is arrested

On Friday, Trump was the first to go public with the news that “with a high degree of certainty,” the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk has been caught, adding that someone “very close to him turned him in.”

“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him — in custody … everyone did a great job we worked with the local police, the governor, everybody did a great job,” Trump told Fox & Friends in an interview.

The official press conference followed hours later. Acting on leads, Utah state and local law enforcement said they had arrested Tyler Robinson in St. George, about 250 miles southwest of Orem. The arrest took place about 33 hours after Kirk’s murder, FBI Director Kash Patel said at the press conference.

Robinson, in his early twenties, had reportedly made incriminating remarks to relatives and shared messages on the Discord app about retrieving a rifle from a “drop point.”

‘We got him’

At the press conference, Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed the arrest, saying: “We got him.” Cox revealed that a friend had helped Robinson surrender to police in Washington County. Robinson has since been booked into Utah County Jail, near Salt Lake City.

Officials said Robinson had grown “increasingly political” in the weeks leading up to the shooting and had expressed opposition to Kirk’s views. Digital evidence, bullet engravings and witness testimony tied him directly to the crime. Authorities believe he acted alone.

What will happen next?

Governor Cox stated in the press conference that prosecutors have three days to file formal charges, with a preliminary hearing to follow. He pledged that the Utah County Attorney’s Office would work closely with Kirk’s family throughout the process.

Cox called Kirk’s killing an “attack on the American experiment,” and he urged a new generation to “choose a different path.”

Trump called Kirk “a good person who wanted to help young people” and confirmed he would attend the funeral. Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two to Phoenix, home of Turning Point USA.