Charlie Kirk shooting suspect named and in custody after his father turned him in

Mr Kirk, who was co-founder of the conservative political advocacy group Turning Point USA and a staunch ally of President Trump, was shot at long range during a campus event in Orem, Utah.

Governor Cox opened a press conference saying: "Good morning ladies and gentlemen, we got him."

He continued: "Investigators interviewed that roommate who stated that his roommate, referring to Robinson, made a joke on Discord."

In a previous family dinner, Mr Robinson spoke about how much he did not like Mr Kirk and how he was "spreading hate", according to Mr Cox.

Bullets found in the weapon used by the gunman had messages engraved on them.

The messages were "Hey fascist", "Catch”, "Oh Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao", and "If you read this, you are gay, LMAO."

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Utah sheriff Mike Smith thanked the public "who turned to prayers and who turned to positiveness for us".

He told the press conference "We needed those prayers, that's what we needed to get through this...We needed your support and you gave it to us. We needed your patience and you gave it to us."

He adds: "And I would like to thank you for the Kirk family, because that's what they needed, is your support and prayers. And that will get us through all of this.

"You're looking at people standing up here who are running on... if they got an hour's sleep in the last couple days, they're probably lucky. It has been very taxing."

FBI boss Kash Patel said: "This is what happens when you let good cops be cops.

"[Robinson] had the ability to walk through that crime scene, and walk through the steps the suspect took to learn more about what was needed and what resources were needed to bear to create a full picture for the FBI and leadership back in Washington.

"We will continue to process evidence as we see it and as we collect it."

Finishing his statement, Mr Patel said: "Lastly, to my friend Charlie Kirk. Rest now brother. We have the watch and I'll see you in Valhalla."

A message engraved on the casings reading "Hey Fascist Catch" on one of the unfired bullets discovered with the rifle "speaks for itself," governor Cox said.

The shooting of Charlie Kirk stirred outrage and denunciations of political violence from Democrats, Republicans and foreign governments.

Investigators found a "high-powered, bolt-action" rifle in a nearby wooded area.

Officers were examining that along with palm prints and footprints for clues.

Grovener Cox added: "It is an attack on all of us. It is an attack on the American experiment. It is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been and, and who we could be in better times."

He added that social media "is a cancer on our society right now" and people should "log off, turn off, touch grass, hug a family member, go out and do good in your community."

"That is happening, and it's happening organically right now," he added.

He says a friend told him that Republicans and Democrats in his town in Utah are "getting together to have a discussion" to "find a way to find their better angels".

On his War Room podcast, hard-right commentator Steve Bannon called Kirk "the America First martyr," claiming Mr Kirk had been under constant threat from "evil people" on the left, adding: "We cannot back off. We cannot flinch."

Chaya Raichik, a right-wing influencer known for her Libs of TikTok account, posted screenshots of social media users who allegedly celebrated Kirk’s death.

Ryan Nichols, a January 6 rioter pardoned by President Trump, urged followers to identify and harass those individuals. "Tag them, their employers, and make it so uncomfortable for them to even leave their house," he wrote on X.

Executive Director of Common Ground USA, a nonprofit that seeks to reduce political violence and polarization, Nealin Parker said she worried that radical voices on the fringes were stoking hate and fear, with potentially violent consequences.

She said: "Right now people are willing to believe terrible things about the other side...What’s happening online really matters."

Appearing on Fox News, President Donald Trump broke the news to the nation earlier today that a man had been arrested in connection with the shooting.

The Republican President said, if found guilty, he hopes the killer "gets the death penalty".

Mr Trump also said that it wasn't known whether the suspect was part of a bigger network, and that he did not want to watch the video of the shooting. He added that he did not want to remember Mr Kirk that way.

"I've never seen young people go to one person like they did to Charlie", the President said, adding Mr Kirk, 31, was "like a son" to him.

In an October 2024 Reuters/Ipsos poll, the vast majority of respondents aged 18-29 disagreed with the statement "it is acceptable for someone in my political party to commit violence to achieve a political goal."

Only six per cent endorsed the statement.

At the University of Oklahoma, students assembled a memorial with flowers and pictures of Kirk. At Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, the chapter of Turning Point USA planned a vigil.

Josh Michael, a senior at Oklahoma State University, was in class when he saw messages in his fraternity group chat saying Kirk had been shot.

After they learned Kirk had died, he and his friends hung a sign saying "Pray 4 the Kirks" on their fraternity house.

"Everyone was just distraught," he said.

Patrick Burland, president of the Young Republicans, said Kirk was the catalyst for many in the Gen Z generation to become interested in politics.

He said: "There are so many people I know that only became involved because they saw his conversations either online or on their campus."

Mr Burland, 25, didn't hesitate when his Democratic counterpart suggested a joint statement. He said: "When they took a shot at Charlie, they’re almost taking a shot at the very idea of open debate and free expression.

"This is something that no one on either side is going to stand for. I think what we’ll see is cooler heads prevail and a more positive message break through."