A suspect in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been caught, US President Donald Trump said on Friday.
He told broadcaster Fox: “I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”
Kirk, a prominent supporter of Trump credited with boosting support for his agenda among young people, was shot in the neck while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday and later died of his injuries.
“Somebody that was very close to him turned him in,” Trump said, commenting that recent higher quality pictures had contributed to the arrest.
The father of the suspect convinced him to hand himself in, Trump said, cautioning however that he only had preliminary information.
A religious minister and a US marshall law enforcement officer were also involved in the arrest, he said.
The suspect was now at the police station, Trump said.
Utah state and federal officials were set to hold a news conference later in the morning.
Investigators from the FBI earlier appealed to the public for help in tracking down Kirk’s killer, and released better quality images of a suspect.
The FBI had offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible Kirk’s assassination.
Trump expected to attend funeral
Kirk’s casket was on Thursday flown from Utah to Arizona, where he had lived, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha. Television footage showed Kirk’s wife being helped off the plane by Usha Vance.
Trump said that he expects to attend the funeral. He ordered flags at the White House and embassies worldwide to be flown at half-mast.
Trump also said on Thursday that he was posthumously awarding Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump said.
In the interview on Friday, Trump said of the killer: “I hope he gets the death penalty.”