Trump confirms arrest in Charlie Kirk Utah murder case

US President Donald Trump on Friday (September 12) said that the person who killed right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has been arrested.

"I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody,” said Trump as quoted by Fox News. He also said that the father of the suspect helped in getting him arrested. The President said that he hopes that the accused will get the death penalty.

"We have the person that we think is the person we're looking for, but they drove into the police headquarters, and he's there now," added Trump.

Charlie Kirk to get Presidential Medal

Describing Kirk as a “giant of his generation”, Trump said that he will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

"He (Kirk) would have bigger rallies than any radical left speaker... He was an unbelievable talent... He loved young people. He wanted to help young people. He didn't deserve this. He was truly a good person,” said Trump.

The development comes days after Kirk was shot dead at an event in Utah. The incident was termed as a “political assassination” by the Utah Governor.

Trump’s revelation comes days after the federal investigators appealed for public assistance as the shooter who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk fled into the woods.

Also Read: Charlie Kirk's open debates made him a draw on college campuses, but also vulnerable

Crucial evidence collected

Investigators collected crucial evidence, including a palm print, a shoe impression, and a high-powered hunting rifle found in the wooded area along the shooter's escape route. The weapon was identified as a Mauser .30-calibre, bolt-action rifle found wrapped in a towel, with a spent cartridge in the chamber and three additional rounds loaded in the magazine. The weapon and ammunition are undergoing analysis at a federal laboratory.

Authorities released photos of a person wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a long-sleeve black shirt alongside a USD 100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. The shooter, believed to have a "college-age" appearance, blended into the Utah Valley University campus crowd before executing the attack. Two individuals initially detained were later released, forcing investigators to pursue new leads.

Also Read: ‘Not America’s fight’: Kirk opposed US role in India-Pakistan conflict, Operation Sindoor

How Charlie Kirk was murdered

The assassination occurred in broad daylight as Kirk addressed social issues from a university courtyard. Videos captured the moment when Kirk, a close Trump ally influential in rallying young Republican voters, was speaking into a handheld microphone before a single shot rang out. The shooter fired from a rooftop position before jumping off and disappearing into the surrounding woods, leaving the campus community in shock.