Suspect in Charlie Kirk killing had become ‘more political’ and likely acted alone, authorities say

OREM Utah AP The man accused in the Charlie Kirk assassination had earlier expressed to family his opposition to the viewpoints of the conservative activist the officers disclosed Friday in announcing an arrest in a targeted killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in the United States Tyler Robinson had become more political in the run-up to the shooting and had indicated to a family friend afterward that he was responsible Utah Gov Spencer Cox stated Cox also cited as key pieces of evidence engravings on bullets exposed in a rifle concluded used in the attack as well as chatting app messages attributed to the shooting suspect that a roommate shared with law enforcement Cox a Republican called Kirk s killing an attack on the American experiment and he urged a new generation to choose a different path Robinson is assumed to have acted alone and the examination is ongoing Cox stated Robinson s arrest early Friday morning was disclosed by President Donald Trump who stated in a Fox News Channel interview that With a high degree of certainty we have him Calls to telephone numbers listed for Robinson in citizens records rang unanswered News of the arrest came hours after the FBI and state executives had pleaded for general help by releasing additional photographs of the suspect a move that seemed to indicate that law enforcement was uncertain of the person s whereabouts Kirk was killed by a single shot in what police reported was a targeted attack and Utah s governor called a political assassination Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA based in Arizona Functionaries recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle near the scene of the shooting and had explained the shooter jumped off a roof and vanished into the nearby woods afterward Kirk had been speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of Wednesday s shooting He was taken to a local hospital and was pronounced dead hours later He required to help young people and he didn t deserve this Trump noted Friday He was really a good person Federal investigators and state executives on Thursday had disclosed photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at the university in Orem More than leads and tips had poured in administrators noted Functionaries have yet to cite a motive in the killing the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States Grisly video shared online The attack carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media The videos show Kirk who was influential in rallying young Republican voters speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away The shooter who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a college-age appearance fired one shot from the rooftop according to leadership Video disclosed Thursday proved the person then walking through the grass and across the street before disappearing I can tell you this was a targeted event stated Robert Bohls the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City Trump who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence reported he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom the highest civilian honor in the U S Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha visited with Kirk s family Thursday in Salt Lake City Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship dating back to initial messages in through Vance s Senate run and the voting So much of the success we ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie s ability to organize and convene Vance wrote He didn t just help us win in he helped us staff the entire leadership Kirk s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix where his nonprofit political youth organization is based Trump recounted reporters he plans to attend Kirk s funeral Details have not been stated Kirk was taking questions about gun violence Kirk was a conservative provocateur who became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues One such provocative exchange played out forthwith before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk s American Comeback Tour The event generated a polarizing campus reaction An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly signatures The university issued a declaration last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its commitment to free speech intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue Last week Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking dispute He wrote What s going on in Utah Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms Certain attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle then tied the sharpener to a chair leg On campus Thursday the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events PROVE ME WRONG stood disheveled Meanwhile the shooting continued to draw bipartisan condemnation as Democratic bureaucrats joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties