President Donald Trump announced Friday morning that authorities have taken into custody the suspect accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA.

Speaking live on Fox News’ Fox & Friends around 8 a.m. ET, Trump described the development as a “significant breakthrough” in a case that has gripped the nation since Kirk was fatally shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday.

The New York Post reported that the suspect is 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah. An alleged photograph of the suspect has been circulating social media.

“I can say with a high degree of certainty that we have him in custody,” Trump told the hosts, crediting federal and local law enforcement for their swift response. He said the suspect was turned in by a family member — a relative in law enforcement — who drove him directly to a police station. Trump also noted that a minister played a role in tipping off authorities, adding that U.S. Marshals confirmed the arrest just minutes before his interview.

The president emphasized the collaborative effort behind the capture, praising the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and Utah state police. “It was a tip from someone who knew him, and they brought him right in. We’re talking about the guy who did this horrific thing,” Trump said.

The announcement follows days of confusion and an intensive nationwide manhunt. Initial reports had suggested arrests, but authorities later clarified that two individuals detained shortly after the shooting were not connected to the killing. The FBI had released surveillance images of a person of interest fleeing the scene and urged the public to provide tips.

Law enforcement sources said the individual now in custody matches the description from surveillance footage and is being questioned.

Kirk’s assassination has reignited national concerns about political violence. Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the killing a “political assassination” and signaled that prosecutors could pursue the death penalty. Vice President JD Vance, who escorted Kirk’s body back to Arizona on Thursday aboard Air Force Two alongside Kirk’s widow, Erika, praised him as a close friend and tireless advocate.

Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff through Sunday and expressed condolences on Truth Social, writing, “Melania and my sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!” Turning Point USA, which Kirk co-founded in 2012, said in a statement that it would continue his mission to advance conservative values on college campuses.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)