What to know about the killing of Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA

Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was a top podcaster, culture warrior and ally of President Donald Trump. He led an effort to remake the GOP’s get-out-the-vote effort in the 2024 election based on the theory there were thousands of Trump supporters who rarely vote but could be persuaded to do so.

His killing was the latest in a string of attacks on U.S. politicians that have targeted members of both major parties.

Here's what to know about Kirk's shooting:

Suspect is arrested

Cox said a family member of Robinson's reached out to a friend, who contacted authorities with information that Robinson had confessed or implied that he carried out the shooting. “I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing,” he said.

The governor would not say if Robinson is cooperating with the investigation.

Robinson's family said he had become “more political in recent years” and had criticized Kirk, mentioning that he was due to appear at an upcoming event in Utah and saying “Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said.

He also said bullet casings found at the crime scene were engraved with messages. One read “hey fascist. catch," another that read “if you read this you are gay LMAO," and a third referenced “Bella Ciao,” a classic Italian song popular with the political left.

FBI Director Kash Patel lauded the law enforcement response to the shooting, saying, “In 33 hours, we have made historic progress for Charlie."

One gunshot fired from a roof

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point when the shooter fired from a distant rooftop, authorities said.

Videos posted on social media show Kirk speaking into a microphone while sitting under a white tent. A single shot rings out and Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck.

Utah Valley is the state’s largest public university, with an enrollment of 47,000. It’s about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of the state capital, Salt Lake City.

The hunt for Kirk’s killer

Hours before Robinson's arrest, the FBI said it was looking for a “person of interest” in the shooting and released a series of photos showing the person wearing a hat, sunglasses, a long-sleeve black shirt and a backpack.

Utah police shared video of the person racing across the roof of the building from where authorities say the shot was fired, dropping down to the ground and walking off campus. They said the shooter left behind imprints, including a palm print, that investigators hoped could yield clues.

Authorities said the shooter appeared "to be of college age” and “blended in” with the college population, though authorities said Friday that Robinson is not a student at Utah Valley and that he has been living with family.

A rifle hidden in a towel was recovered in a wooded area near the university campus along what authorities suspect to be the fleeing shooter’s path, according to information circulated among law enforcement and shared with The Associated Press. There was a spent cartridge in the chamber and three other rounds loaded in the magazine.

Authorities received more than 7,000 leads and tips, and they asked the public to continue sending them, adding that “no tip is too small.”

Two separate persons of interest were detained Wednesday, but neither was determined to be connected to the shooting and both were released, public safety officials said.

The university canceled classes through the week and closed the campus until at least Monday.

Kirk’s rise from Trump aide to major conservative influencer

Trump said he spoke at length with Kirk's widow on Thursday but didn't get into the specifics of what they discussed.

“She’s devastated, she’s absolutely devastated, as you can imagine,” he told reporters at the White House.

Trump said he would posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk at a later date.

Kirk was 18 years old when he co-founded Turning Point in suburban Chicago in 2012 with William Montgomery, a tea party activist. They aimed to take their ideas for low taxes and limited government to college campuses.

Turning Point enthusiastically backed Trump after he clinched the GOP nomination for president in 2016. Kirk served as a personal aide to the then-candidate's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., during the general election campaign.

The Trump connection helped fuel Turning Point's rise to prominence. Soon, Kirk was a regular presence on cable TV, where he leaned into the culture wars and heaped praise on the president.

Contributions to the group doubled and then tripled — eventually climbing to $79.2 million in 2022, according to an analysis of publicly available tax filings. The group states that it now has a presence on nearly 4,000 high school and college campuses, operating as a conservative lifestyle brand that promotes hundreds of online influencers.

Kirk was known for provocative statements on race that he used to court Gen Z voters.

“I’m sorry. If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified,'” Kirk said during a 2024 podcast with fellow conservative activist Jack Posobiec.

Kirk staunchly opposed the enactment of Juneteenth as a federal holiday. He said the move to elevate the date was motivated by “anti-American” sentiment that promoted “a neo-segregationist view” that he claimed sought to supplant Independence Day.

Politicians unite in condemning the attack

Republicans and Democrats alike swiftly condemned the attack.

Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff and issued a presidential proclamation. The president, who sustained a minor ear injury when he was shot at a campaign event last year, said he and Kirk had a close relationship.

He described Kirk on Truth Social as a “great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!”

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last March hosted Kirk on his podcast, posted on X: “The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible.”

Associated Press reporter Alanna Durkin Richer contributed.