Police arrested the suspected gunman who shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah, President Donald Trump confirmed Friday.
Trump told Fox News he learned about the arrest minutes before going on air.
A source close to the suspect disclosed their location, which led authorities to the apprehension.
Investigation Relies on Public Leads
FBI and Utah police released new video Thursday showing a suspect fleeing after Kirk’s assassination on campus.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said public tips generated critical leads for the manhunt.
The footage shows the suspect wearing sunglasses, Converse shoes, and a black American-flag shirt, running across a roof.
The suspect jumped from the roof, crossed a busy street, and entered a wooded area, police said.
Authorities recovered a high-powered rifle there, believed to be the weapon used against Kirk.
Officials released additional images showing the suspect with a backpack descending a stairwell.
Evidence Builds Against Suspect
Investigators collected rifle, shoe, forearm, and palm imprints, plus possible fingerprints and DNA from the jump site.
The suspect appeared to blend into the campus and “looked of college age,” Mason said.
Authorities admitted uncertainty about whether the suspect remained in Utah or fled the state.
Law enforcement has received over 7,000 public tips, the most since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
The FBI offered $100,000 for information identifying or arresting those responsible for Kirk’s death.
Nation Reacts to Killing
Utah Governor Spencer Cox vowed prosecutors would pursue the death penalty once courts convict the suspect.
Kirk died in daylight while answering a question about gun violence during his Utah Valley University appearance.
The shooting sparked condemnation from Republicans and Democrats and highlighted rising political violence in the United States.
Trump expressed grief, pledged justice, and warned he remains concerned for the country following Kirk’s assassination.
