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Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a Utah Valley University event on Wednesday afternoon.
Kirk was speaking on campus when a single shot was fired from the roof of a nearby building, which killed the conservative icon. Authorities announced on Friday that a suspect had been arrested.
Here’s a timeline of events leading up to the assassination and arrest:
Charlie Kirk appears at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at his “American Comeback Tour” when he was shot in the neck and killed. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
Wednesday, Sept. 10
11:52 a.m. – Suspect arrives at Utah Valley University
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said during a news conference on Thursday that the suspect arrived at Utah Valley University (UVU) at 11:52 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Sept. 10. The suspect then went to the Losee Center on campus.
“Starting at 11:52 a.m. this subject arrived on campus. Shortly away from campus, we have tracked his movements onto the campus, through the stairwells, up to the roof across the roof to the shooting location,” Mason said.
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Charlie Kirk hands out hats before speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)
12 p.m. – Start of event
TPUSA’s event at UVU’s courtyard featuring Kirk kicked off. A massive crowd formed around a white tent with text reading “THE AMERICAN COMEBACK” and “PROVE ME WRONG.” An event organizer told Fox News Digital that around 1,400 people RSVP’d for the event.
12:20 p.m. – Shot fired
University spokeswoman Ellen Treanor told Fox News Digital that the shooting began at 12:20 p.m. and came from a building located around 200 yards from the speaker. Kirk was answering a question from an individual in the audience when a shot was fired, hitting him in the neck. Kirk was transported to a local hospital.
Students and people attending the event can be seen rushing to leave the area. The shooter jumped down a side of the building and went into a nearby neighborhood, officials said.
12:22-12:30 p.m. – Campus is cleared
UVU said police went “building to building” escorting students and staff off campus grounds.
The campus was immediately evacuated and locked down. Classes were suspended through Sept. 14.
According to a school spokesperson, UVU Police, in conjunction with the Orem Police Department, Utah Department of Public Safety and the FBI, started investigating the shooting.
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12:53 p.m. – FBI Director Kash Patel said agents responding
FBI Director Kash Patel said agents responded quickly to the scene.
“We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University,” Patel said. “Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”
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Shortly after the shooting, UVU announced that a suspect was in custody, but did not publicly identify the suspect.
Shortly after the initial announcement, a UVU spokesperson told Fox News Digital the suspect who was initially in custody had since been released.
1:40 p.m. – President Donald Trump confirms Kirk is dead
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!
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4:21 p.m. – Patel announces another suspect in custody
“The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody,” Patel wrote in an update on X. “Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with the FBI. We will provide updates when able.”
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5:59 p.m. – Patel announces suspect released
“The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency,” Patel wrote in a post on X.
Thursday, Sept. 11
7:15 a.m. – FBI, Utah police hold news conference on manhunt
Investigators said they had obtained security camera video from the UVU campus showing a suspect dressed in all black.
Robert Bohls, the FBI’s special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office, spoke at the event alongside Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason.
“After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building and fled, off of the campus and into a neighborhood,” Mason said.
VIDEO SHOWS MOMENTS BEFORE ASSASSINATION OF TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER CHARLIE KIRK
Law enforcement tapes off an area after Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot at Utah Valley University, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)
Authorities recover suspected murder weapon
Bohls said they recovered what they believe to be the gun used to assassinate Kirk.
The weapon “is a high-powered bolt action rifle. That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled. So the FBI laboratory will be analyzing this weapon. Investigators have also collected footwear, the impression of a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis,” Bohls said.
“We are not sure how far he has gone,” Bohls added about the assassin.
Investigators added that they believe Kirk’s killer is “of college age.”
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9:48 a.m. – FBI releases photos of person of interest
“We are asking for the public’s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University,” the FBI’s Salt Lake City office wrote on X.
10:44 a.m. – FBI offers reward for help cracking case
The FBI said in a post on X that it is offering a reward of up to $100,000 “for information leading to the identification and arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk.”
Friday, Sept. 12
8 a.m. – Trump announces suspect in custody
In a First on Fox announcement, Trump said that a suspect had been arrested.
“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody,” Trump said on “Fox & Friends.”
“Everyone did a great job. We worked with the local police, the governor, everybody did a great job,” Trump added.
9:35 a.m. – Suspect identified
Sources told Fox News that the suspect had been identified as Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident.