Police captured the suspected gunman who fatally shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
President Trump confirmed the arrest Friday, saying officials held the suspect in custody before his Fox appearance.
A source close to the alleged shooter disclosed the suspect’s location, guiding authorities to the arrest.
Surveillance Footage and Public Tips Aid Investigation
FBI and Utah police released video showing a person fleeing the scene after Kirk’s assassination.
Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said public tips produced new leads in the ongoing manhunt.
Footage shows a suspect in sunglasses, Converse shoes, and a black long-sleeve shirt running across a roof.
The suspect jumped to the ground, crossed a busy street, and entered a wooded area.
Police later recovered a high-powered rifle in the woods, believed to be the murder weapon.
Officials also released images showing the suspect with a backpack and descending a stairwell.
Forensic Evidence Strengthens Case
Investigators collected forearm, palm, and shoe imprints, fingerprints, and DNA from the building edge.
Mason said the suspect appeared to be college-aged and blended easily into the campus environment.
Law enforcement searched for leads both inside and outside Utah to track the suspect’s movements.
Officials received over 7,000 tips, the highest volume since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing investigation.
The FBI offered $100,000 for information leading to the suspect’s identification and arrest.
National Response and Condemnation
Governor Spencer Cox vowed prosecutors would seek the death penalty once courts convict the suspect.
Kirk died in daylight while answering a question about gun violence during the “American Comeback Tour.”
Republican and Democrat lawmakers condemned the assassination, highlighting rising political violence in the United States.
President Trump expressed grief, pledged justice, and said the attack raised serious concern for the nation.
