KEY POINTS
- Charlie Kirk shooting suspect captured after manhunt.
- Utah governor says state will seek death penalty.
- Mourning highlights political tension in the US.
Mourners laid wreaths outside the US Embassy in Pretoria on Thursday, a day after conservative youth activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead while speaking at Utah Valley University. The 31-year-old, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, was killed by a single round fired from a rooftop overlooking the campus.
Trump announced the suspect’s arrest on Friday, crediting a tip from someone close to the gunman.
Arrest made after nationwide manhunt
“Somebody very close to him turned him in,” Trump told Fox News, adding that the individual was a minister who led the suspect to a US Marshal. The shooter was later brought to police headquarters and taken into custody.
More than 20 law enforcement agencies had joined the search, releasing images of a man in a cap, sunglasses and Converse sneakers fleeing the scene. A high-powered bolt-action rifle was later recovered near a wooded area off campus.
Charlie Kirk shooting sparks political outrage
Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, rose to prominence in conservative politics by energizing young voters and shaping debates on immigration, gun rights and faith. His death has been described by supporters as a martyrdom, underscoring the nation’s deepening political rifts.
Vice President JD Vance accompanied Kirk’s coffin on Air Force 2 to Phoenix, his hometown. Students at Utah Valley University said the killing left them shaken. While hundreds of supporters gathered for a vigil in Orem Park, waving American flags and wearing MAGA caps.
Utah governor seeks death penalty
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said prosecutors would pursue the death penalty if the suspect is convicted. Law enforcement officials believe the gunman fired from about 200 yards away. Striking Kirk in the neck before fleeing across rooftops.
Trump, while mourning the loss of one of his most visible allies, called on his supporters to respond peacefully.
