President Donald Trump described on Fox News the moment aides informed him that conservative activist Charlie Kirk had been shot and later died, saying he was meeting with architects about a White House ballroom when he learned the news.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the throat while speaking to college students at Utah Valley University and died from his injuries on Wednesday afternoon, according to law enforcement and hospital reports. Trump told Fox & Friends that aides entered and said, “Charlie Kirk is dead.” He quoted himself as responding, “What do you mean, dead?” before being told Kirk had been shot. “They thought he was dead because it was so horrific,” Trump said. “I just told these people, ‘Get out. Just go.’ This is the worst thing. This is so bad for our country...Sometimes out of really bad things, things can happen and be good.”
On Thursday evening federal and local authorities said they had arrested the main suspect in the killing. The FBI and local law enforcement apprehended 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in southern Utah around 11 p.m. Thursday, officials said. A probable cause affidavit obtained by NBC News and law enforcement statements show Robinson faces charges including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors told reporters the charges carry the possibility of a death-penalty sentence if the case is pursued at that level.
Reports from outlets including the Daily Mail said Robinson was taken into custody after confessing to the slaying to his father, who then contacted a youth minister with ties to the U.S. Marshals Service. The minister, the report said, advised the father to restrain Robinson until federal agents arrived. Authorities have not publicly detailed a motive and said the investigation remains active.
Trump announced on Thursday that he will posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Trump described Kirk as “a great man” and said he believed Kirk could have made a future run for the presidency. The president also expressed condolences for Kirk’s family and framed the killing as a national tragedy.
Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization, and had been a prominent figure in conservative politics. His shooting at a university event prompted widespread condemnation across the political spectrum and renewed questions about security at public appearances by political figures and activists.
Law enforcement officials said they will continue to investigate the circumstances of the shooting, the suspect’s background and any potential connections that may have led to the attack. Court proceedings, including an initial appearance or arraignment for the suspect, were expected to follow as authorities move the case through the federal and state systems.