(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.
Follow live updates below:
More photos released of suspect
After earlier releasing initial photos, the Utah DPS shared the following:
Kirk ‘went out the way he lived’: Jack Posobiec
Conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, a close friend of Charlie Kirk, joined “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” to pay tribute to the assassinated husband and father.
Dept. of Defense tracking Charlie Kirk posts
Military personnel and Department of Defense staffers who mock or celebrate Charlie Kirk’s death will face consequences, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says.
The U.S. Coast Guard has also warned it is investigating “inappropriate personal social media activity made by a member regarding recent political violence.”
US Naval Academy on lockdown
The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, issued an alert over a threat on campus Thursday as colleges and universities across the nation were plagued by threats and false alarms.
Cadets were told to “get inside and lock your door right now” in emails seen by The New York Times.
Gov. Wes Moore later said there was no credible threat to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Weapon used in the assassination
“A high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled. Experts from the FBI are analyzing the weapon,” Utah DPS said.
“There are reportedly photos of a weapon and various details about that firearm and ammunition, including inscriptions and symbols.”
Rep. Luna lauds Charlie Kirk
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., wrote on X: “I owe my entire political career to Charlie Kirk. I would quite literally not be in office today if it weren’t for him.
“Even when my own party was working against me, Charlie endorsed me and campaigned to help me win election. Today, I am urging @SpeakerJohnson to place a statue of Charlie in the US Capitol to honor his legacy and to serve as a permanent testament to his life, work, and sacrifice.”
Forensic samples
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, investigators have collected a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis.
FBI offering $100K for information
The FBI is offering $100,000 for information leading to the arrest or identification of the shooter.
Trump en route to New York
President Trump will be in attendance at tonight’s MLB game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers.
“Pregame ceremonies will recognize the victims and heroes of 9/11,” a post by the Yankees said.
FBI Director en route to Utah
FBI Director Kash Patel is headed to Utah, a law enforcement official confirmed to NewsNation. The FBI declined to comment.
Trump calls Kirk’s killer a ‘total animal’
“He’s an animal total animal. Charlie Kirk was a great person. Great in every way especially with youth. What this man did was disgraceful,” the president said.
Trump has spoken to Kirk’s wife
“She’s devastated, absolutely devastated,” the president said.
‘Big progress’ toward finding killer: Trump
The president has said law enforcement was making “big progress” towards finding the killer.
As for the killer’s motivation, Trump said: “I have an indication, yeah, but we’ll let you know about that later.”
South Park episode on Charlie Kirk pulled
An episode of South Park that satirized Charlie Kirk has been pulled from rotation on Comedy Central in the wake of his death.
It is still available on demand on Paramount+.
Tributes left at Turning Point USA headquarters
Hundreds came to the Turning Point USA Headquarters to memorialize Charlie Kirk.
Family of man wrongly identified as person of interest speaks out
The family of a man who was detained and questioned in the shooting of Charlie Kirk has spoken out against online harassment.
“They should be focused on finding the killer,” the father of Zachary Qureshi said, adding that his son was just 20 feet from Kirk when the shooting occurred. “He was in line to ask a question.”
State Dept. warns immigrants not to praise Charlie Kirk’s death
The agency warned non-Americans against praising the death of Charlie Kirk and asked people to bring any such social media posts to the attention of the State Department.
Gabby Giffords responds to shooting
Former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head during an assassination attempt, condemned the attack on Kirk.
Vice president to meet with Kirk’s family and friends
Sources tell NewsNation that Vice President JD Vance and his wife will meet with Charlie Kirk’s family and a number of his close friends in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Charlie’s casket, along with his family and friends, will then be flown to Phoenix, Arizona, aboard Air Force Two.
Exclusive video shows scene of Charlie Kirk shooting
New video shows the area of the woods where a gun was found and a ladder propped up against the wall of the building where the shooter was located.
It’s unclear if the ladder was used by the shooter or placed there by investigators.
FBI offers $100K reward
The FBI announced it is offering up to $100,000 for information that leads to the identity of the shooter.
Police release photos of ‘person of interest’
Authorities are asking the public to help identify a person of interest in yesterday’s fatal shooting.
Democrats say Americans should unite after Kirk’s death
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called for unity, a day after Charlie Kirk was shot and killed.
“The first reaction of everybody — everybody — should be to say, this is a horrible thing, we ought to come together and to not seek political advantage from it,” Schumer said Thursday at a news conference.
Jeffries said the shooting “should be denounced by everyone, and moving forward, we have to figure out a better way to come together, not as Democrats or Republicans but as Americans.”
Kirk’s death ‘hits home’: Utah Sen. Mike Lee
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, a friend of Charlie Kirk, said his death “hits particularly hard.”
During Thursday’s Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Lee said he talked to his fellow conservative “very regularly, sometimes several times a day.” Lee, who is the panel’s chairman, said their last text exchange was shortly before Kirk’s death.
Lee said the shooting also “hits home particularly heavy with me” because it occurred at Utah Valley University, a few miles from where he grew up and near where he now lives.
He added that he’s attended events at the school since he was a teenager.
“This is a safe place,” Lee said. “Not the kind of place where you expect something like this to happen. It’s truly tragic.”
MSNBC analyst fired after remarks about Kirk killing
Matthew Dowd, a political operative and contributor to MSNBC, was fired over comments he made on the air Wednesday, just minutes after the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
“We don’t know any of the details of this, we don’t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration,” Dowd said while appearing on the network, calling Kirk “one of the more divisive figures in this.”
Dowd’s comments were met with swift pushback and prompted MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler to issue a statement apologizing.
“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable,” Kutler said. “We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”
Dowd, who joined the network in 2022, issued an apology afterwards.
“My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk. On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind,” he said.
Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel speak out about Kirk killing
Late-night TV hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel are among those decrying the killing of Charlie Kirk and condemning political violence.
Offering condolences to Kirk’s family, Colbert said in a pretaped message played at the beginning of Wednesday’s show, “I’m old enough to personally remember the political violence of the 1960s and I hope it is obvious to everyone in America that political violence does not solve any of our political differences.”
Kimmel also spoke out after Kirk’s killing.
“Instead of angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human,” the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host wrote in a social media post.
Rep. Luna urges Musk to pull X assassination videos
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., has asked billionaire Elon Musk to remove graphic videos of Charlie Kirk’s assassination from the social platform X.
“I am calling on @elonmusk, @finkd and @tiktok_us to remove the horrifying videos of Charlie Kirk’s murder,” Luna wrote on X. “He has a family, young children, and no one should be forced to relive this tragedy online.”
She added, “These are not the only graphic videos of horrifying murders circulating — at some point, social media begins to desensitize humanity. We must still value life. Please take them down.”
The videos from Utah Valley University, where Kirk was hosting an event Wednesday, have circulated on X and other platforms.
Trump to speak with Kirk’s family
Trump said he will speak to Charlie Kirk’s family on Thursday afternoon.
“I can’t believe Charlie— what a great guy he was,” he told reporters as he left the Pentagon. “You don’t replace a Charlie Kirk. He was unique.”
Trump said he has been updated on the search for a suspect, adding, “They have a virtual manhunt out there. So we’ll see what happens. We hope you get them.”
Kirk to be awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will posthumously award Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump said while speaking at the Pentagon.
The medal is the nation’s highest civilian honor. It is awarded to people who have made “exceptionally meritorious contributions to the nation’s prosperity, values, or security, world peace, or other significant public or private endeavours”.
No suspect arrested in Charlie Kirk’s death is ‘stunning’: Vittert
As memorials pour in for Charlie Kirk, NewsNation’s Leland Vittert called his death “preventable” and said the lengthy hunt for a suspect is concerning.
“The idea that we have no idea who did this, is stunning,” Vittert said, adding that previous assassinations have always ended with a suspect in custody rather quickly.
“We sort of had that closure of understanding who did and also realized that there was not a continuing threat,” he added. “That doesn’t exist right now.”