(NewsNation) — Erika Kirk has vowed to never let her husband Charlie Kirk’s legacy fade in her first public remarks since he was shot and killed.
She called for his supporters to join or start local Turning Point USA chapters, keep the campus tours and broadcasts going and to find a Bible-believing church.
“Our campus tour this fall will continue; there will be even more tours in the years to come.” Erika Kirk said. “I’ll make Turning Point USA the biggest thing this nation has ever seen.”
Charlie Kirk’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson, was arrested after a 33-hour manhunt thanks to a tip from his family and messages discovered on Discord, police say.
Robinson, 22, allegedly fired a single shot at Kirk from the roof of a building 200 yards from where he was speaking at Utah Valley University Wednesday.
He was booked into a Utah jail late Thursday night after a family member contacted a family friend, saying Robinson confessed or implied he was involved in the shooting, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said.
Police spoke with Robinson’s roommate, who showed them Discord messages from Robinson discussing the need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush and engraving bullets. The messages also mentioned a scope and the rifle being unique, according to his arrest affidavit.
President Donald Trump was the first to announce that a suspect was in custody and said someone close to the accused killer turned him in.
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Utah Gov. points to ‘watershed moment’ in history
“This is a watershed in American history. The question is what kind of watershed. This chapter remains to be seen,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said.
He likened the shooting to assassinations in the 1960s.
Cox also noted the graphic videos of the shooting that have circulated and said people have not evolved to be able to view such gruesome images.
“This is not good for humans. This is our moment. Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?” Cox said.
Charlie Kirk shooting suspect booked into Utah jail
A family member helped deliver 22-year-old Tyler Robinson to Washington County, a three-to-four hour drive, authorities said.
No additional arrests anticipated, officials say
Officials said they do not anticipate any additional arrests.
As for motive, authorities said a bullet casing reading “hey fascist” spoke for itself.
Utah Gov. says every life taken deserves respect, dignity
“This is about the assassination of Charlie Kirk — but it’s an attack on all of us. Our ideals. It cuts to the foundation of who we are and who we can be,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. “The very act that Charlie championed — the freedom of expression. We can’t fight violence if we can’t have a clash of ideas safely and securely.”
Cox noted that young people loved Kirk and that there were also young people who hated him.
“Charlie went into those places anyway. When people stop talking, that’s when you get violence,” he said.
“The only way out of the suffering is to forgive your enemies. It’s important to stay grounded. Internet fury is not real life,” Cox continued. “We must have reasonable agreement where violence is not an option. Politics feels like rage. Through those words, we can choose a different path.”
FBI received 11K leads, director says
The FBI received 7,000 leads by last night and 11,000 by this morning, Patel said.
He said all leads would be investigated and called the agency’s work “monumental in a historic time.”
FBI director gives timeline of events
FBI Director Kash Patel thanked the president and vice president for giving the FBI resources to bring the case to a conclusion.
Patel gave a timeline of the events:
Police arrived on the scene 16 minutes after the shooting.
On Thursday, the first photos were released by 10 a.m. local time.
A reward was announced by 10:45 a.m. local time, and the suspect was in custody by 10 p.m.
Casings had messages carved on them
Bullet casings had inscriptions including “Hey fascist, catch” and “If you can read this you are gay, LMAO.”
Suspect had become more political, family said
According to authorities, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson arrived on campus in a grey Dodge Challenger.
Family members said he had become more political recently and shared his disliked of Kirk.
A roommate reportedly pointed to online messages that included content about leaving a rifle in a bush.
Suspect ID’d as 22-year-old from Utah
Officials identified the suspect in the shooting of Charlie Kirk as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. Read more here.
Suspect arrested in southern Utah
The suspect was arrested in southern Utah, but it’s not yet clear when the arrest was made.
A source told NewsNation that facial recognition technology was used to identify the suspect.
The suspect confessed to his father, the source said, and law enforcement found items seen from surveillance footage of the shooting on him.
It’s not clear what, if any, affiliation the suspect had with Utah Valley University.
Suspect confessed to his father, source says
A source told NewsNation the suspect accused of killing Charlie Kirk confessed to his father that he was the shooter. His father told authorities and secured his son until they could arrive to pick him up, the source said.
Charlie Kirk shooting suspect in custody, Trump says
President Donald Trump announced Friday that a suspect in the shooting is in custody.
“Someone that was very close to him turned him in,” Trump said in an interview on “Fox & Friends.”
The president said the information is subject to change but that authorities believe they have the person they are looking for.
“I hope he’s found guilty, I would imagine,” Trump said. “And I hope he gets the death penalty.”
Does FBI know person of interest’s identity?
The FBI recently released photos of a person of interest in the Charlie Kirk shooting, asking the public for help identifiying them.
Chris Swecker, former assistant director of the FBI’s criminal investigation division, told NewsNation the fact that the photos have been released indicates the agency doesn’t know who it is looking for.
Day 3 begins with no suspect or name
Friday begins with videos and photos of the person of interest in Charlie Kirk’s killing, but investigators have still not released the name of the person they believe assassinated him.
Thursday night, police said they had mounting forensic evidence, including the murder weapon, shoe prints and DNA samples. They also released more pictures and video.
But the person believed to be in those images has not been caught, and their name has not been released.
Stay on this page for updates today.
Authorities have ‘trove of evidence’: Ex-CIA officer
Laura Ballman, a former CIA operations officer, joined “Banfield” to discuss the wealth of information and evidence that authorities have in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination in Orem, Utah
Charlie Kirk shooter could’ve disassembled gun ‘in a second’: Gun expert
Charlie Kirk’s killer chose the gun used in the fatal shooting because it has “very few moving pieces,” according to gun expert Steve Wolf.
Latest updates from Utah press conference
Utah authorities said the assassin is still on the loose and they are asking for the public’s help after releasing a new video.
Rep. Luna says Meta is taking down video of assassination
“I have been able to now make contact with Meta. They are also working to remove this awful content,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said on X.
“Thank you to all the tech CEO’s for doing the right thing. Every single platform is working to remove this content.”
Elation over Charlie Kirk’s death ‘disgusting’: Sen. Markwayne Mullin
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., joins “On Balance” to discuss the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Authorities release new video of assassin
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason showed a video of the shooter at Thursday night’s press conference.
Press conference ends
The media conference has concluded.
Death penalty will be pursued: Gov. Cox
Gov. Cox also said the state will be pursuing the death penalty once the assassin is apprehended.
‘Tremendous amount’ of disinformation on social media
Gov. Cox says “our adversaries want violence.”
He adds that bots from Russia and China are trying to “distill disinformation and encourage violence.”
More than 7,000 leads and tips submitted
Gov. Cox praised the public for their assistance, saying the FBI has not received this many digital tips since the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
He added that 200 interviews have been conducted by authorities.
Shooter fled into a wooded area
After jumping down from the building, the shooter moved into a wooded area. Gov. Cox is appealing to the public to provide any information they may have.
Shooter details
The shooter seemed to injure his leg as he jumped down from the roof after shooting Kirk, leaving him with a limp. He was wearing Converse tennis shoes, a black American flag t-shirt, and a hat with a triangle on it.
Shooter still at large
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says the suspect has not yet been caught.
FBI press conference delayed
The press conference is now slated to begin at approximately 9:40 to 9:45 p.m. ET.
Rep. Mace wants Charlie Kirk to lie in state
Rep. Nancy Mace says she will introduce a resolution authorizing Charlie Kirk to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda if his family wants him to be honored there.
FBI news conference planned for 9:30 p.m. ET
The FBI plans to give an update on the search for Charlie Kirk’s killer at 9:30 p.m. ET.