Charlie Kirk Murder Suspect Arrested After Nationwide Manhunt, Trump Confirms

Charlie Kirk Murder Suspect Arrested After Nationwide Manhunt, Trump Confirms

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RYNI News | Omotayo Stephen . O
13 September 2025

The dramatic manhunt for the assassin who fatally shot conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk has come to an end. President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that the prime suspect is now in federal custody after being turned in by a confidant described as both “a man of faith” and a minister.

“Somebody very close to him brought him directly to law enforcement,” Trump revealed in a live interview on Fox News. “He was taken to a U.S. Marshal who handled it fantastically, and now he’s at police headquarters. We believe we have our guy.”

The announcement comes just two days after Kirk, 31, was gunned down while speaking at Utah Valley University. Authorities say the shooter fired from a rooftop nearly 200 yards away, striking Kirk in the neck with what investigators identified as a high-powered bolt-action rifle. Surveillance footage captured a lone figure sprinting across the rooftop before fleeing into a wooded area, where the weapon was later recovered.

The brazen attack shocked the nation and ignited political tensions. Governor Spencer Cox of Utah vowed that prosecutors would seek the death penalty, calling the killing “an act of calculated terrorism against democracy.”

Kirk’s body was flown to his hometown of Phoenix on Vice President JD Vance’s official plane. Cameras captured the vice president solemnly laying his hands on the casket as it was loaded onto Air Force Two — a gesture underscoring the deeply political undertones of the tragedy.

For many, the murder felt personal. Students at Utah Valley University described feeling traumatized by witnessing the attack in real time. “It made me sick to my stomach,” said Dave Sanchez, 26. “We watched him all the time. It feels like we lost a family member.”

In Orem, hundreds of supporters wearing red MAGA caps and waving American flags gathered Thursday evening for a candlelight vigil. The gathering included prayer, patriotic hymns, and a moment of silence. “It still doesn’t feel real,” said Jonathan Silva, 35. “It’s like a nightmare we haven’t woken up from.”

Kirk’s death has been mourned across conservative circles. Lauded by admirers as a “martyr,” he was best known as the co-founder of Turning Point USA, an organization he launched in 2012 to mobilize conservative youth. His charisma and sharp debating skills made him a frequent guest on television and a viral figure across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where he championed gun rights, Christianity, and hardline immigration policies.

As grief and anger ripple through right-wing media, Trump has urged restraint among his supporters. “We want justice,” the president said, “but we want it peacefully.”

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