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by WILL FOLKS
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During a morning appearance on Fox News, U.S. president Donald Trump stated that federal authorities had the suspect in the political assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk “in custody.”
“I always say ‘I think’ just to protect us all and so Fox doesn’t get sued and we all don’t get sued but… I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him – in custody,” Trump said.
Kirk, 31, originally of Chicago, was struck down by an assassin’s bullet shortly after 12:00 p.m. MDT on Wednesday (September 10, 2025) as he hosted a public forum on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. His murder has sparked an outpouring of grief – and a wave of outrage against politically motivated violence in the United States.
“Everyone did a great job,” Trump said, referring to the manhunt to apprehend Kirk’s killer. “We worked with the local police, the governor – everybody did a great job.”
Trump added a Utah minister, member of the U.S. Marshals – and the suspect’s father – were instrumental in the apprehension of the suspect, whose name has yet to be released.
“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,” Trump said. “Someone who knew him turned him in.”
Trump’s announcement came just hours after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shared new footage of the alleged assassin fleeing the rooftop of the Losee Center, a student resource building which overlooked the open-air plaza where Kirk was hosting the first stop of his organization’s ‘American Comeback’ tour.
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Here’s the latest video released by ?@FBISaltLakeCity? in its investigation of the murder of @CharlieKirk11… pic.twitter.com/c51MGu8BXQ
— FITSNews (@fitsnews) September 12, 2025
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New images of the suspect were also released by authorities…
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We're releasing additional photos of the person of interest in connection with the murder of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Please send all tips available to: https://t.co/XXzYBH1GkE pic.twitter.com/DgLOlrU6Cx
— Utah Public Safety (@UtahDPS) September 12, 2025
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Additionally, Trump’s announcement came as federal investigators announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to “the identification and arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk.”
As a reminder, anyone with photos or video of Kirk’s assassination should call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit fbi.gov/utahvalleyshooting.
Other videos taken during the assassination showed an individual fleeing the rooftop immediately after the shooting, while one video appeared to show a sniper on the roof of the Losee Center just prior to Kirk’s murder.
More ominously, there are reports the FBI was alerted to an individual scouting the location in the days and weeks leading up to Kirk’s murder.
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From this elevated perch atop the Losee Center – 200 yards away from Kirk’s location – the assassin fired a single shot from what police say is an “older model, imported” Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle. The projectile struck Kirk in the neck – an unsurvivable wound causing the immediate loss of massive amounts of blood.
Kirk was rushed to the hospital, but pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
Evidence obtained during the course of the investigation appears to have identified the location of the shooter on the roof – i.e. the “sniper’s nest” – while a rifle matching the description of the weapon in question was found wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the campus.
“The spent cartridge was still chambered in addition to three unspent rounds at the top of the magazine,” an initial police report obtained by journalist Steven Crowder noted. “All cartridges have engraved wording on them, expressing transgender and anti-fascist ideology.”
Palm impressions were found on the rifle, which are in the process of being analyzed. Also, according to the feds, “trace evidence collected from the rooftop scene included shoe impressions, a forearm imprint and a palm print.”
This is a developing story… please check back for updates.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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2 comments
This young man has forever changed so many lives. The absolute disregard for human life in this day and age is disgusting.
“The absolute disregard for human life in this day and age is disgusting.”
The conservatives really get upset when you talk about Charlie like that.