It had been more than a day since Charlie Kirk was gunned down and the main clues so far were a palm print, a shoe impression and a high-powered rifle found in a wooded area promoting authorities to seek the public’s help. That was until Donald Trump made the announcement that the suspect is in custody.
Here are the latest updates in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Conservative activist Charlie Kirk:
People celebrating Charlie Kirk’s death could lose their U.S. visas
Existing visas could be revoked or denied of people celebrating Kirk’s death, Deputy Secretary of State
Christopher Landau posted on X
Thursday.
“In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country. I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action,” Landau posted on X.
He urged the people on the social media platform to highlight such comments by “foreigners to my attention so that the State Department can protect the American people.”
In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country. I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light…
— Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) September 11, 2025
Trump says Kirk’s suspected killer is in custody
“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody,” the U.S. president said on Fox News Friday morning.
Donald Trump appeared on the daily talk show Fox & Friends and was asked if there had been any developments in the assassination of Conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. Although Trump didn’t reveal any details he said someone very close to the suspect is said to have turned him in.
🚨 BREAKING@POTUS: “I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.” pic.twitter.com/v7UX15Uibn
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 12, 2025
Trump said the information was made available to him five minutes before he was set to appear on the Fox News show. He said he hopes the killer gets death penalty. “Kirk was the finest person and he didn’t deserve this,” the U.S. president said, adding that Kirk was like a son to him.
Utah governor’s plea for help to catch Kirk’s killer
The investigators released a series of photos and video of the suspect they believed assassinated the 31-year-old Trump ally as he spoke to students gathered in the courtyard of the Utah Valley University in Orem.
“We cannot do our job without the public’s help right now,” Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox said during a press conference on Thursday. “The public has answered our call for action.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has received over 7,000 tips and leads, Cox said. Director of FBI Kash Patel was also in attendance but did not speak. Cox said that the last time authorities received this many tips was during the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
A US$1,00,000 award is being offered for information leading to the arrest, Cox said.
The 31-year-old activist was killed by a single shot on Wednesday in a “targeted attack” that the governor of Utah called a political assassination. The suspected gunman fired from the rooftop, investigators said. Images of the suspect were released Thursday.
Kirk was the co-founder of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit political organization. At the time of the fatal incident, he was speaking at a debate at Utah Valley University. He was shot in broad daylight on the university campus and pronounced dead at a hospital a few hours later.
Kirk’s casket aboard Air Force Two arrived in Phoenix Thursday night. Vice president JD Vance helped carry the casket alongside other uniformed service personnel. Vance’s wife Usha stepped off the plane holding the hand of Kirk’s widow Erika.
Vance on social media talked about his friendship with Kirk that began in 2017 when Kirk sent a message to Vance on X after his appearance on Tucker Carlson show. He “told me I did a great job … and that moment of kindness began a friendship that lasted until today,”
on Wednesday.
Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
