A suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university has been taken into custody, US President Donald Trump said on Friday, ending an intense manhunt that followed what Trump described as a "heinous assassination."

Kirk's killer has eluded police and federal agents for more than 24 hours after Wednesday's shooting, in which a sniper fired a single gunshot that killed Kirk during an appearance at Utah Valley University in Orem.

"I think we have him," Trump told the "Fox and Friends" show in an interview, adding that a person who knows the suspect had turned him in. "I think with a high degree of certainty we have him in custody."

According to the authorities, the suspect, identified as Tyler Robinson, had confessed to a family friend – or "implied that he had committed the murder" to that friend – and that person in turn had contacted the Washington County sheriff's office on Thursday.

"We got him," Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters.

A family member interviewed by investigators said Robinson had become more political recently and spoke in a disparaging manner about Kirk, Cox said.

Robinson was taken into custody on Thursday night, about 33 hours after Kirk's murder, FBI Director Kash Patel said at a press conference.

Kirk, an author, podcast host and close ally of Trump, helped build the Republican Party's support among younger voters.

Previously, US investigators said they had found the bolt-action rifle believed to have been used to kill Kirk and released images of a person of interest.

FBI and state officials said the killer arrived on the campus a few minutes before the start of the event, a debate led by Kirk titled "Prove Me Wrong" in front of 3,000 people at Utah Valley, about 65km south of Salt Lake City.

Security-camera videos showed a person going up stairwells to gain access to a roof before firing at Kirk, the officials said.

After the shooting, investigators found a "high-powered, bolt-action" rifle in a nearby wooded area, and were examining that along with palm prints and footprints for clues. (Reuters)
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Last updated: 2025-09-12 HKT 23:12