On September 12, local time, U.S. President Trump said the suspect in the Kork shooting had been arrested.

Trump said in an interview with Fox News that day that his political ally Charlie Kirk was shot in the shooting case, "I think we have caught him, people close to him have handed him out, he is currently in custody by law enforcement agencies, and the relevant agencies will officially announce this news later today."

Charlie Kirk is pictured

U.S. Conservative activist and political ally of President Trump, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed at the age of 31 during a speech at Utah Valley University in Olem, Utah.

On the 11th, local time, Utah Public Safety Department chief Mason disclosed the details of the case. On the 10th, at 11:52, the gunman broke into the university campus, then reached a building roof through a staircase well and carried out the shooting. After the shooting, the gunman jumped from the roof and escaped the campus and broke into the neighboring community.

According to Central Television News, on 10 local time, Trump's firm supporter, Charlie Kirk, was shot dead during a speech at the University of Utah Valley. Utah officials said investigators had obtained a "clear video" of the suspect and are currently verifying his identity through technical means.

Screenshot of media report

According to reports, the gunman plunged into the campus minutes before the speech began, shot Kirk through the stairs to the roof and then fled to neighboring communities. Investigators found a gun in the nearby woods.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation released photos of two suspects the same day and issued a prize notice, but did not confirm that the man was the gunman.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a $100,000 ($71,2 million) prize on Thursday to gather information to help identify and arrest suspects in the Charlie Cook shooting.According to U.S. media reports, Utah's public security department said on 11th that it had received more than 200 public clues.

The shooting suspect was monitored.

In addition, according to the Chinese news network, the U.S. Newsweek that on 11 local time, U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to attend the funeral of his political ally and well-known conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump said the funeral is scheduled to take place next weekend in Arizona. Trump said, ¡°They invited me to go and I think I have a duty to go.¡±

Charlie Cook as well.

Charlie Kirk is the co-founder of the conservative non-profit organization ¡°America¡¯s Turnpoint¡±, which has branches across more than 3,500 campuses dedicated to building a network of conservative grassroots youth activities across high schools and university campuses across the United States.

Kirk is also one of the most influential "networkers" in Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) supporters camp. He spoke three times at the Republican National Congress, in which in a speech in July 2024, he said choosing Trump meant choosing to put the future of Americans first.

In October 2024, when Trump, then a Republican presidential candidate, attended a political gathering, said, ¡°I want to express my sincere thanks to Charlie Kirk, he is an amazing man.¡±

After Kirk was shot dead, Trump ordered the national flag to be mourned until 6 p.m. on the 14th.

Cook shakes hands with Trump.

Why was shot.

Kork was shot dead at 12:10 p.m. at the University of Utah Valley, Utah, during a speech.According to live video footage released by the media, when the shooting occurred, Kork, wearing a white round coat, was sitting in the middle of an outdoor table, suddenly a gunshot, he covered his neck with his hands, but did not immediately fall.

During his lifetime, Kirk has been criticized for his radical speech. In 2023, he publicly stated that the deaths caused by the defense of gun ownership were "worthy", and the speech caused widespread condemnation.

Opinions about the cause of Kork's death differ.

In a tribute video released that night, Trump accused the ¡°radical left¡± of causing the incident, saying that ¡°radical left would compare great Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world¡¯s most brutal mass murderers and criminals.¡±

Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the Kork shooting a ¡°political assassination.¡±

FBI Director Kash Patel posted on social media that evening that the suspect in Kork¡¯s shooting had been hacked, but later said that one of the investigators had been released after being questioned and the investigation was still ongoing.

Source: CCTV News, CCTV International

Extended reading

Trump's "Night Guard" Wance's coffin, why did the murder of Kirk make the White House so defensive?

According to the audience, on September 10, the White House atmosphere was as heavy as a funeral.When the news of Charlie Kirk's death came, some of the White House staff were tears, some eyes red, and some were dark.

US President Trump announced the news of Kirk's death on the social platform "Real Social", and the White House then flew its flag at half-mast. A senior White House official revealed to the media that Trump had been watching TV reports about the shooting all day, and he canceled an entire afternoon of policy meetings in favor of praying and "keeping a vigil" for Kirk. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles called the staff that night and told them to "go home and hug their families".

According to Xinhua News Agency on the 11th, Charlie Kirk, a well-known American conservative activist and Trump's political ally, was shot and killed while giving a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on the 10th. He was 31 years old.

Kirk is closely connected to the Trump family, Vice President Wallace, and many young officials in the government. Kirk is one of the most influential Republican Conservative activists, who advocated Trump¡¯s policy agenda by the ¡°American Turning Point¡± organization he founded to help Trump win the 2024 presidential election.

After the assassination, Trump said he planned to attend Kirk's funeral and award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Trump's eldest son compared Kirk to a "younger brother". U.S. Vice President Vance canceled the 9/11 commemoration, used a special plane to transport Kirk's body and even personally helped the coffin.

On September 11, 2025, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, with Vice President J.D. Wans (right), Second Lady Usha Wans (middle) and Erika Kirk escorting the body of Charlie Kirk arrived on Air Force 2

"Close friends"

Kirk was elected by Republican donors as a teenager, who hoped that Kirk could build a conservative youth movement and break the Republican¡¯s boring image. In June 2012, just two days after Kirk graduated from high school, he founded America¡¯s Turning Point with the support of donors.

The organization has won the support of a large number of young voters ¨C especially white male voters ¨C for the ¡°Make America Great Again¡± (MAGA) campaign. Kirk has since become the most influential young political activist in the U.S. Conservative movement, as well as the ¡°authority¡± in the eyes of millions of American young people. For Trump¡¯s supporters, Michael F. Barclay, a minor from the MAGA party, played an important role in the rise of neoconservatives in the United States.

"No one can better explain to young people in a succinct way why conservative ideas should prevail." This is what Trump's old friend Jeff DeWitt said about Kirk. "This (Kirk's assassination) is a devastating and irreparable loss to the Republican Party. No one has such a strong appeal in our party except Trump."

Kirk initially endorsed Ted Cruz in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, but then turned to Trump. According to former Chicago congressman Joe Walsh, Kirk first met Trump at an event in Chicago and subsequently became his supporter. Kirk established a deep friendship with Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and in the last few months of 2016, Kirk and Trump Jr. campaigned for Trump all over the country to canvass votes.

Trump liked Kork¡¯s active activities on the university campus and also frequently attended Kork¡¯s meetings. Kork is a regular visitor to the White House and he frequently commented on staff opinions at the White House, visited Trump¡¯s elliptical office, gathered key points of conversation and then shared with audiences.

After Trump resigned as president in 2021, the Republican grassroots group further strengthened its reliance on Kirk. Former Florida MP Matt Gates said in 2022 that he hoped to see Kirk rule the Republican National Committee. During the 2024 presidential election, Kirk¡¯s organization had achieved great results in raising the Republican voting rate.

Despite his loyalty to Trump, Cook briefly broke up with Trump earlier this summer due to the Epstein paper issue, causing a wave of upset at the White House. At the time, many MAGA messengers therefore disagreed with Trump. But after Trump called, Kirk said he would obey the government's handling of the matter.

Hundreds of prominent conservative officials issued a statement on Monday describing Kirk as a close friend, husband and father, including the cabinet secretary, Trump's family, and White House deputy chiefs Stephen Miller and James Blair.

¡°Charlie (Kirk) is not just my friend ¨C he¡¯s like my brother ¨C he¡¯s a true source of inspiration for millions around the world ¨C we¡¯re hard to express your thoughts ¨C but your spirit will never be forgotten, and we¡¯ll continue to fight for justice.¡±

Trump paid tribute to Kirk at the Pentagon¡¯s 9/11 commemoration ceremony and said he would be awarded the ¡°Presidential Medal of Freedom,¡± the highest honor given to civilians by the United States.

It is the "guide" of many senior Republican officials.

He is also a close friend of many White House officials. The Atlantic Monthly that with the expansion of Kirk¡¯s influence, the influence of the ¡°American Turning Point¡± organization has surpassed the Republican establishment, becoming an important platform for Republican conservatives to seek public positions. The Washington Post noted that many officials were able to get involved in politics through the political movement led by Kirk and even enter the White House, including Wells.

Kirk was ten years younger than Vance, but he was a key ally and guide of Vance's political career. Since the two met in 2017, Kirk has helped Vance connect with Republican donors, party allies and even the Trump family.

Media captured a video of Wells escorting Kirkling.

Wance's political career began in the 2021 Ohio Senate campaign. Wance said Kirk was one of the first people he contacted when he decided to campaign. Wance subsequently referred Kirk to key figures in the Republican Party, including Donald Trump. Wance wrote that Trump could answer his phone calls "completely because Charlie (Kaker) allowed him to do so."

During Trump¡¯s re-election campaign in 2024, Mr. Kork reasserted Mr. Wans as Trump¡¯s campaign partner. At Trump¡¯s ¡°American Turning Point¡± conference, Mr. Kork openly stated: ¡°I think JD (Wans) is the best.¡±

Kirk's show and social accounts have millions of users, and his support has had a huge impact on Trump. Trump suffered a failed assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024. A few days later, Trump chose Vance as his running mate.

Vance said that many "high-level government officials" have maintained good relations and high mutual trust with Kirk. "Much of the success we have had with this administration is due to Charlie's ability to organize and convene. He not only helped us win the 2024 election, but also helped us form an entire government."

According to informed sources, Vance immediately changed his itinerary after learning about Kirk's assassination, giving up going to new york to attend the 9.11 commemoration, and instead went to Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah, to visit Kirk's family. Vance even used Air Force Two to transport Kirk's body back to his hometown in Arizona and personally helped his coffin.

Many young Trump administration officials were promoted from Kirk's "American Turning Point" organization. Camlyn Bailey Kinsey, who served as a staff member in Trump's first term in the Presidential Personnel Office, said Kirk inspired her to create the University of Louisville chapter of "America's Turning Point" many years ago. Kinsey later joined the White House with Kirk's support.

¡°It¡¯s not too much for Charlie Kirk to emphasize that many people in Donald Trump¡¯s core circle, and the president himself, are like family,¡± the Atlantic Monthly wrote.