Charlie Kirk shooting suspect in custody after manhunt, Erika Kirk vows to keep holding Turning Point USA events

Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, vowed Friday to continue her husband's conservative activism work, saying, the "movement my husband built will not die."

She said Turning Point USA will still host its fall college campus tour, and its AmericaFest conference in December will still take place.

"The evildoers responsible for my husband's assassination have no idea what they have done," she said. "They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith and of God's merciful love. They should all know this: If you thought that my husband's mission was powerful before, you have no idea … what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world."

"The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry," she said.

Earlier in her address, she referred to her husband as a martyr.

In an emotional address Friday, Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, said her husband "wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith."

"He was the perfect father. He was the perfect husband," she said in her first public remarks since Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday.

She also thanked police, first responders and staff at Turning Point USA — as well as Vice President JD Vance and President Trump.

"Mr. President, my husband loved you and he knew that you loved him too," she said.

Erika Kirk will make a public appearance on Friday, two days after her husband of four years, Charlie Kirk, was killed in a shooting at Utah Valley University.

Erika Kirk collaborated with her husband for years, often speaking at Turning Point USA events about politics, religion and her beliefs on family. Charlie and Erika Kirk frequently spoke about their marriage in public events, offering advice to younger attendees and promoting conservative views on family.

"For me as a wife, my biblical role is to be the helpmate to my husband," Erika Kirk said in an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show earlier this year. "That does not mean I'm less than you. That does not mean that I am above you."

During that appearance, Erika Kirk said she's more conservative than her husband.

"Not even close," Charlie Kirk agreed. "I am a moderate compared to Erika."

She also hosts a podcast called Midweek Rise Up. She founded a clothing line called PROCLAIM and a ministry called BIBLEin365.

A Phoenix-area native, Erika Kirk won Miss Arizona USA in 2012. She attended Arizona State University, and later earned a juris master in legal studies from Liberty University, according to a biography on her website.

She and Charlie Kirk wed in 2021, after they got engaged in 2020 and started dating in 2018, according to social media posts. They had two children.

Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, will speak publicly at 8:15 p.m. ET, in her first remarks since the shooting that killed her husband, according to Turning Point USA.

Donald Trump Jr., who was a close friend of Kirk's, said any celebration of his friend's killing is "truly disgusting." The president's son was interviewed on Fox News with Martha McCallum Friday afternoon.  

"It's just been very hard, Martha," he said. "When you think about what's gone on over the last few years, when you look at the vilification of Charlie that I'm seeing every day since then, the celebration of his assassination in cold blood in front of his wife and young children, it's truly disgusting."

The president's son said Kirk gave a platform to "his biggest detractors." 

"He gave the people who hated him most an opportunity to argue their standpoint," he said. 

Robinson was arrested on charges of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice for moving and hiding the gun believed to be used in the attack and felony discharge of a firearm causing bodily injury, according to a booking sheet from the Utah County Sheriff. All three are felonies.

A probable cause statement details the events leading up to and after the shooting at Utah Valley University, as well as descriptions of Robinson, the suspected shooter, and his movements.

Law enforcement said the suspect was spotted on the roof of the Losee Center building on campus and, after the shot rang out, was seen on surveillance footage running to the edge of the building and dropping to the grass below.

The probable cause statement says the rifle recovered by police was a Mauser Model 98, .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle and had a scope mounted on top of it. It was wrapped in a dark-colored towel, according to the document.

The statement also describes how Robinson came to the attention of authorities, as well as investigators' interviews with his family member and roommate, the details of which were announced by Cox earlier Friday.

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray is expected to file formal charges against Tyler Robinson on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, the Utah County Attorney's Office said in a news release Friday.

The office said it is reviewing the evidence in order to determine what charges it will file against Robinson.

A spokesperson for the social media platform Discord said that it removed an account associated with Tyler Robinson, who police have accused of killing Kirk, for violating its "off-platform behavior policy."

"We strongly condemn violence of any kind, including political violence, and we will continue to coordinate closely with law enforcement," a spokesperson for the company said in a statement.

But the statement also refuted that messages about "planning details" were sent on the platform. Cox, Utah's governor, said during a press conference earlier Friday that Robinson's roommate showed law enforcement Discord messages affiliated with a contact "Tyler" that referenced the need to retrieve a rifle from a "drop point," leaving the gun in a bush and the rifle wrapped in a towel.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and extend our condolences to the Kirk family and everyone affected. In the course of our investigation, we identified a Discord account associated with the suspect, but have found no evidence that the suspect planned this incident or promoted violence on Discord," the spokesperson said. "The messages referenced in recent reporting about planning details do not appear to be Discord messages."

The spokesperson said the messages were "communications between the suspect's roommate and a friend after the shooting, where the roommate was recounting the contents of a note the suspect had left elsewhere."

The U.S. Secret Service put on leave an agent who expressed negative opinions on social media about slain conservative influencer Charlie Kirk and revoked his security clearance, two U.S. officials said.

Anthony Pough wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday that Kirk had "spewed hate and racism on his show ... at the end of the day, you answer to GOD, and speak things into existence. You can only circumvent karma, she doesnt leave."

In a memo to staff that was shared with CBS News, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said politically motivated attacks in the United States are on the rise, and staff shouldn't exacerbate the problem. 

"Let me be clear, politically motivated attacks in our nation are increasing — seemingly every day," Curran wrote. "The men and women of the Secret Service must be focused on being the solution, not adding to the problem."

— By Jennifer Jacobs, Nicole Sganga

Tyler Robinson's father saw the photos released by authorities and confronted his son about them, two federal law enforcement sources told CBS News. 

Robinson admitted to his father that he was the person in the photos, those sources said. Robinson's father urged him to turn himself in, but Robinson said he would rather commit suicide than turn himself in, the federal law enforcement sources said. 

Robinson's father called a youth pastor who knows Tyler and is close to the family, and he and the pastor tried to calm Robinson down. The sources said the pastor, who also serves as a court security officer, called the U.S. Marshals. The Marshals detained Robinson and kept him secure, while waiting for the FBI. The FBI then took Robinson into custody. 

By Pat Milton, Anna Schecter 

Turning Point USA issued a new statement Friday thanking law enforcement after the man accused of assassinating Kirk was arrested and urged the public to continue praying for Kirk's wife, family and the group's members.

"We are profoundly grateful to the men and women of law enforcement who worked with such urgency, dedication, and courage to bring this person to justice," Turning Point USA said in a statement posted to its X account. "Their commitment has brought an important step toward closure in this incredibly painful time."

FBI Director Kash Patel praised the pace of the investigation into Kirk's assassination and said the suspected gunman was apprehended in "historic" time.

"In 33 hours, we have made historic progress for Charlie," Patel said.

The FBI director walked through the timeline of the bureau's actions and said Robinson was taken into custody at 10 p.m. local time (midnight ET) Thursday, although Utah Gov. Spencer Cox had said investigators encountered Robinson in the early hours of Sept. 12. Utah officials said he was taken into custody overnight.

Patel said the FBI has received at least 11,000 leads, all of which will be looked into. 

To Kirk, Patel said, "Rest now, brother. We have the watch."

At a news conference Friday morning, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox laid out the events that led to Robinson's arrest. The governor said that on the evening of Sept. 11, a family member reached out to a family friend, who then contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office with information that Robinson had allegedly confessed or implied he committed the shooting at Utah Valley University.

That information was then relayed to the Utah County Sheriff's Office, investigators on the scene of the incident, and the FBI, Cox said. Investigators reviewed video footage and identified Robinson arriving on Utah Valley University's campus in a gray Dodge Challenger at around 8:29 a.m. local time Wednesday, the day of Kirk's event at the school, according to the governor.

Robinson was wearing a plain maroon T-shirt, light-colored shorts, a black hat with a white logo and light-colored shoes, Cox said. He's believed to have changed clothing on the roof, where the shot was fired from, before changing back into what he was originally wearing. 

When investigators encountered Robinson early in the morning on Sept. 12, he was wearing clothing consistent with that outfit, according to the governor.

Cox said that investigators interviewed one of Robinson's family members, who said he had become more political and that Robinson had mentioned Kirk was going to be at Utah Valley University. The unidentified family member said Robinson and another person discussed why they disliked Kirk, according to the governor.

Cox declined to directly tie the public release of the images of the suspected shooter to his arrest, but he said that through "some process," the suspect's family "came to know that this had happened."

The governor said that when the person believed to be Robinson was first spotted on Utah Valley University's campus, he was wearing one set of clothes. Police believe he then changed on the roof, where the shot was fired from, and then changed back into his original clothing, Cox said. 

The governor said when the suspect was apprehended, he was wearing clothing that matched what he wore before the attack.

Cox also said Robinson is not a student at Utah Valley University and has been living with his family in Washington County, located in the southwestern corner of the state. Cox said charging documents will likely be filed early next week.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox told reporters he can't answer questions about the possible motive of the suspect. 

"I absolutely believe this is a watershed in American history," Cox said at Friday morning's news conference, adding that the question is what kind of watershed moment it would be. 

Cox said "social media is a cancer on our society right now," encouraging people to log off, touch grass and hug a family member. 

"This is our moment," Cox said. "Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp? It's a choice."

By Melissa Quinn, Kathryn Watson

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said authorities believe Tyler Robinson, the suspected shooter, acted alone and said there is no information currently that would lead to additional arrests.

The governor said Robinson's family and one of his friends helped deliver him into law enforcement custody, and he has been booked into Utah County Jail.

Robinson was briefly a student at Utah State University, the school confirmed. 

"Utah State University confirms that Tyler Robinson, the suspect arrested in the killing of Charlie Kirk, briefly attended Utah State University for one semester in 2021," the university said in a statement posted on its website. 

In an emotional appeal to young Americans, Cox spoke of the importance of respecting others who hold opposing views and warned that if there cannot safely be a "clash of ideas," there can not be solutions to the nation's problems. 

"This is certainly about the tragic death, assassination, political assassination of Charlie Kirk, but it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual," the governor said. "It is an attack on all of us, an attack on the American experiment, it is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been and who we could be in better times."

Cox said that political violence is different from other forms of violence and called for "moral clarity."

He said Robinson will be charged soon for the violence he allegedly perpetrated, and said there is only one person responsible for the act: the suspected shooter.

"Always forgive your enemies — nothing annoys them so much," Cox said Kirk used to say.

Cox said Kirk encouraged vigorous debate, and Cox said the phrase "words are violence" isn't true. 

"Words are not violence. Violence is violence," Cox said. 

He also praised the public's response to Kirk's assassination, which he said was not met with looting, burning or other violence but instead with prayers and vigils.

"History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country, but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us," Cox said. 

The governor warned that political violence metastasizes, with one side pointing the finger at the other, and appealed to elected officials to resist assigning blame.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he knew there had been speculation about inscriptions on bullet casings used by the shooter and confirmed there was writing on the bullet casings. 

The fired bullet casing contained the inscription, "Notices bulges OwO what's this?" An unfired bullet casing read, "Hey fascist, catch!" And a second unfired casing read, "oh bella ciao, bella cio, bella ciao, ciao, ciao." A third unfired casing said, "If you read this, you are gay." 

Cox thanked the family members of the suspected shooter, who he said "did the right thing" in bringing him to law enforcement.

The governor also thanked Kirk's family, including his parents, wife Erika and children.

"This is a very sad day for our country, a terrible day for the state of Utah, but I'm grateful that at this moment we have an opportunity to bring closure to a very dark chapter in our nation's history," Cox said.

Cox said messages on Discord, an instant messages and social media platform, that were reviewed by investigators referenced a rifle wrapped in a towel that was left in the woods and engravings on bullets. The messages came from a person named "Tyler" and were shared with an unidentified individual, the governor said.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox told reporters at the start of a press conference about the Kirk investigation, "We got him."

Cox said the person, Tyler Robinson, was approached by investigators on Sept. 12 wearing clothing consistent with the attire on surveillance footage released by law enforcement.

Family members said Robinson had "become more political" in recent years.

The person in custody for the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, according to multiple law enforcement sources. Robinson resides in Southern Utah and apparently confessed to his father.

By Pat Milton, Anna Schecter, Scott MacFarlane

Multiple sources say that the person in custody bears a strong physical resemblance to the person shown in the surveillance camera photos that were released by law enforcement Thursday.

The president told Fox News that he would attend Kirk's funeral and indicated it will take place next week.

Asked about his scheduled trip to the United Kingdom, set to take place Sept. 16-18, Mr. Trump said he will "also go to a funeral for a great gentleman named Charlie Kirk, who should not be having a funeral right now. He should be out there in front of people, he loved doing it, he was so good at it."

The president praised Kirk for his work in getting young people to the ballot box.

"I mean he had a big impact on the election. You know, I won, I got so many young voters that no Republican's ever gotten anything close. I dominated with young people. And it's never happened before. And I give him so much credit," Mr. Trump said.

By Melissa Quinn, Kathryn Watson

FBI and local officials will provide an update at 9:30 a.m. ET about the investigation into Charlie Kirk's assassination after President Trump said during an interview with Fox News that a suspect is in custody.

In his interview with Fox News, the president was asked if Kirk would want revenge over his death. 

"He'd want revenge at the voter box," the president responded, dismissing any idea that Kirk would want physical violence in return. 

Mr. Trump told Fox News that a minister who is involved with law enforcement played a role in turning the person he said is Kirk's suspected killer in to law enforcement.

"Somebody that was very close to him said 'Hm, that's him,' and essentially went to the father, went to a U.S. Marshal — who was fantastic by the way — and the person was involved with law enforcement but was a person of faith, a minister, and brought him to a U.S. Marshal who was fantastic," the president said during an interview today with "Fox and Friends."

The president said the person's father also played a role in going to law enforcement.

"I'm always subject to be corrected, but I'm just giving you based on what I'm hearing," Mr. Trump said.

The president told Fox News during an interview on "Fox and Friends" that he hopes the person who assassinated Kirk gets the death penalty.

"I hope he gets the death penalty," Trump said.

President Trump said on Fox News that a suspect in the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is in custody.

"With a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody. Everyone did a great job," the president told "Fox and Friends" Friday morning.

"Essentially, someone that was very close to him turned him in," Mr. Trump said, adding that the suspect's capture would be announced today. The FBI has not yet confirmed this.

The president said the suspect's father convinced his son to turn himself in.

"I just heard about it" five minutes ago, Mr. Trump said. 

The Secret Service says an agent who "posted gleefully" about Kirk's death has been put on administrative leave.

Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement to CBS News, "The U.S. Secret Service will not tolerate behavior that violates our code of conduct. This employee was immediately put on administrative leave, and an investigation has begun."

A man was arrested after he allegedly snuck onto the Kirk assassination scene at Utah Valley University to take photos and videos of evidence — and a selfie, CBS Salt Lake City affiliate KUTV reports.

Russell Kim Kennington, 38, of Pleasant Grove, Utah, was charged with suspicion of capital obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, and criminal trespass, a class B misdemeanor.

Police said Kennington walked past crime scene tape wearing a white lab coat and began taking pictures and videos of evidence and, at one point, a selfie. Officials say they spotted the selfie after confiscating his phone.

Kennington allegedly said he was "reminiscing and filming the scene."

Utah allows adults to carry guns openly or conceal them without a permit, though there are restrictions for people ages 18 to 20. It does offer concealed-carry permits, which some people prefer because they are honored in other states that require them, said attorney Mitch Vilos, who specializes in Utah gun law.  

Clark Aposhian, a firearms instructor and chair of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, said there is nothing in Utah's gun policies that would somehow make it easier for an assassin to kill Kirk, who was speaking outdoors to students.

In public colleges, Aposhian said, a permit is required to carry a firearm, either in the open or concealed.

Vilos, who was written a book about Utah gun policy, said the state believes in "protective gun laws."

"The idea is to protect the innocent," he said, "as long as you're not doing things that would cause someone to believe that they're being threatened by the presence of your firearm."

Military leaders are warning troops and Defense Department civilians about some social media posts on the Kirk shooting.

Thursday evening, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on X that, "It is unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American. The Department of War has zero tolerance for it." Soon after, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added in a post on X that, "We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable."

Two hours later, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll posted a similar admonition on X saying, "Posts that celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American are inconsistent with Army values. Full stop." Navy Secretary John Phelan took to X to say he is "aware of posts displaying contempt toward a fellow American who was assassinated. I want to be very clear: any uniformed or civilian employee of the Department of the Navy who acts in a manner that brings discredit upon the Department, the (Navy) or the (Marines) will be dealt with swiftly and decisively." And Air Force Secretary Troy Meink stressed on X that "The Department of the Air Force is aware of inappropriate comments concerning recent political violence. This behavior is unacceptable and contrary to our core values. Airmen and Guardians are expected to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and conduct at all times."

The warnings drew praise and pushback from commenters.

The state of Utah plans to seek the death penalty in Kirk's murder, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said.

"We've been working with our attorneys, getting everything that we need, affidavits ready, so that we can pursue the death penalty in this case. And that will happen here in the state of Utah," the governor told reporters at a press conference.

Police have not arrested a suspect.

Authorities investigating Kirk's killing have received more than 7,000 leads and tips, Cox said in a press conference Thursday.

Cox said that's the largest number of digital tips received by the FBI since the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.

Authorities have also conducted nearly 200 interviews, the governor said.

Utah state officials released a video late Thursday that appeared to show a person climbing off of a roof at Utah Valley University and fleeing the scene in the moments following the fatal shooting of Kirk.

Mason presented the video at a Thursday evening press conference. It showed an unspecified person — whom Mason called a suspect — crossing a roof, climbing down and running across a nearby street and into a wooded area.

Mason said a gun was recovered in the woods. He said authorities also recovered palm prints from the roof and shoe imprints that appeared to match up to Converse tennis shoes.

Authorities have said the shot that killed Kirk was fired from a campus building.

A suspect still has not been named.

State and federal officials did not take questions at Thursday's press conference.

Republican Rep. Nancy Mace said Thursday she will introduce a resolution allowing Kirk's remains to lie in the Capitol Rotunda "should the Kirk family wish."

"It is only fitting his life be remembered in the Capitol, where the freedoms he defended are enshrined," the South Carolina lawmaker wrote.

Both the House and Senate would need to pass Mace's resolution for a ceremony to take place. It's unclear whether the resolution will get a vote.

Some 14 people have lain in state or in honor in the Capitol since 2018, according to the Architect of the Capitol, the federal agency which oversees the building. Those include former Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush, former Sens. Harry Reid and John McCain, and well-known evangelist Billy Graham.

Similarly, Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida suggested placing a statue of Kirk in the Capitol.

State and federal officials — including FBI Director Kash Patel — will give updates on the investigation into Kirk's shooting in a press conference in Utah at 7:30 p.m. local time, or 9:30 p.m. Eastern.

CBS News reported earlier Thursday that Patel was en route to Utah.

The Utah Department of Public Safety shared on social media four more photos of a "person of interest" in their investigation into Kirk's killing.

All four images show a person wearing dark clothing, a black backpack and a hat on a staircase. The post didn't specify when the images were taken.

Two similar photos were shared hours earlier.

The vice president's plane — Air Force Two — landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with Kirk's body just before 5 p.m. local time Thursday.

Vice President JD Vance flew to Salt Lake City earlier Thursday to retrieve Kirk's body, officials familiar with the matter told CBS News. A Turning Point USA staff member posted on X a video of Vance and several service members carrying a casket on an airport tarmac, with the caption: "Thank you for bringing our hero home."

A funeral for Kirk is set for later this month in Kirk's home state of Arizona, President Trump told reporters. He said he plans to attend.

Vance and Kirk were allies for years, with Kirk backing Mr. Trump's selection of Vance as his running mate in 2024.

Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona has postponed a town hall planned for Las Vegas this weekend due to Kirk's shooting out of "an abundance of caution for town hall participants, attendees, and members of the media."

A visit to the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas — which is affiliated with the powerful Culinary Union — was also called off, according to a joint statement from Gallego and Nevada State Democratic Party Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno.

Gallego and Monroe-Moreno condemned the shooting, writing: "Violence is never the answer."

Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah said Thursday that Kirk's shooting at an outdoor event will likely cause his colleagues to rethink their approach to their own personal safety.

"The problem is, I don't see a solution," Curtis told CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett in an interview with "The Takeout," noting that there are 100 sitting senators and 435 House members, all of whom travel extensively and attend many public events. "I don't want to say it's an occupational hazard, but in many ways, I just don't know how you solve this. And the alternative is also not acceptable, which is that we stay away from people."

Curtis added: "I'm not going to lie, I'm going to think twice next time I'm in the major parade just a few blocks away." 

"I think all of us are going to be rethinking some things, and I hope we come up with a way that allows us to stay very, very connected to those we represent," the senator said.

Threats against members of Congress spiked last year, according to federal authorities. In 2024, the U.S. Capitol Police investigated nearly 9,500 threats and other concerning statements against lawmakers, their staffers and their families — up from about 8,000 a year prior.

Federal law enforcement believes it has identified the name of a person of interest, according to two U.S. officials and a law enforcement source. So far, however, no arrest warrant has been issued. The name of the person has not been released.

By Nicole Sganga, Jennifer Jacobs, Pat Milton

The president claimed investigators are making "big progress" in the investigation of Kirk's shooting, though he offered no details. 

"I hear they're making big progress, and we'll have to see what happens," he told reporters at the White House as he departed for New York, where he will attend a Yankees baseball game. 

The president was asked if federal authorities know the shooter's motive. 

"I have an indication, yeah, but we'll let you know about that later," he said. 

In an indication that the manhunt is escalating, U.S. Marshals are now assisting the FBI in tracking down Kirk's suspected shooter, two law enforcement sources tell CBS News. 

The FBI remains the lead investigating agency, working with Utah officials. USMS has a field office in Salt Lake City. 

At 12:23 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, Kirk was shot on the Utah Valley University campus, ending his life and sending ripple effects through the conservative community and the country at large. 

See a timeline of how the shooting unfolded. 

FBI Director Kash Patel is en route to Utah, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation tells CBS News. The FBI declined to comment. 

By Pat Milton, Scott MacFarlane

Speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn before leaving for New York, the president said he had a lengthy conversation with Kirk's wife, Erika Kirk. The president said she's devastated.

"We had a long talk and she's devastated. She is absolutely devastated, as you can imagine," he said.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, in an interview with the Scott Jennings Radio Show, said she believes the president has spoken with Kirk's family. 

Wiles said Kirk's shooting and death "shook everybody to their core" at the White House. She also said his death, for many in the White House, brought back memories of the attempt on Mr. Trump's life in Butler, Pennsylvania last summer. 

"Yesterday was a very tough day," Wiles told Jennings. "It was a roller coaster. We thought it was bad news, and then we thought there would be good news, and then ultimately, not so. So it was very rough. Charlie was very much a part of this family, and maybe the highest-profile MAGA person outside of those that are working here. So I think it shook everybody to their core, and for many of us, brought back the memories of last July, 13 in Butler with the president. And then today is 9/11, so it's sort of a one-two punch."

Turning Point USA issued a lengthier statement Thursday in the wake of Kirk's death, after issuing a brief statement on Wednesday. 

"Every one of us at Turning Point USA is crushed and devastated by the hateful murder of our founder and guiding light, Charlie Kirk," TPUSA said.

"Charlie was no stranger to threats," the statement continued. "He received thousands throughout his life. But he always prioritized reaching as many young Americans as possible over his own personal safety. Now, Charlie has become America's greatest martyr to the freedom of speech he so adored."

Turning Point said Kirk "loved America, its people, its Constitution, its freedom, and the limitless good all of them have done for the world, but above all, Charlie lived every day with an overflowing love of the Christ he knew he would one day get to see."

The U.K. offshoot of Turning Point, the conservative group founded by Charlie Kirk, has announced in a social media post that a vigil will be held in London to honor the late conservative activist.   

The group said that its organizers would hold a vigil on Friday evening and urged "all British supporters of Charlie" to join the gathering. 

The CEO of Turning Point U.K. Jack Ross paid tribute to Kirk on Thursday in a social media post. 

"I'll never forget everything you did to help us at Turning Point UK. You revived Christianity and shaped our politics for the better Charlie. A true patriot, family man and hero - now a martyr," Ross said. 

The Utah Department of Public Safety said the FBI news conference that was scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET has been postponed, citing "rapid developments."

"Due to the rapid developments in our investigation, we will suspend this (news conference)," the Utah DPS said in a statement. "We will release an updated time later today." 

The FBI will speak at a news conference at 2:45 p.m. ET, the Utah State Police announced.

Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, said he is introducing legislation to award Kirk the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously.

"Charlie elevated our national discourse, inspired our students, and proclaimed Christ crucified with vigor and conviction. He was not only a hero of the Christian faith but also the embodiment of what our Founders envisioned when they enshrined the First Amendment," Ogles wrote on X.

A copy of the measure shared by the congressman to social media describes the conservative activist as "the personification of the First Amendment, never compromising the truth while also treating those with whom he disagreed with dignity and respect."

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress.

Florida Rep. Cory Mills, also a Republican, introduced a resolution to honor Kirk following his assassination.

President Trump was slated to deliver his 9/11 speech Thursday morning just outside the Pentagon building. But the pool of reporters covering the president was informed early this morning that the speech was being moved to the interior Pentagon courtyard instead. 

That change was made after the shooting of Charlie Kirk at an outdoor event Wednesday, a senior administration official told CBS News. 

"Out of an abundance of caution, the president's speech at the Pentagon was moved inside," a senior administration official said. 

The FBI said it is offering a reward for information that leads law enforcement to identify and arrest the person or people involved in Kirk's assassination.

"The FBI 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 on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah," the bureau wrote on social media. 

The FBI urged members of the public to call the FBI or submit photos and video through an online form.

Charlie Kirk's body will be flown on Air Force Two to where he lived in Arizona, according to officials familiar with the matter. 

Vice President JD Vance flew to Salt Lake City on Thursday to retrieve Kirk's body, and the vice presidential aircraft will transport the body to Phoenix, where Kirk's family lives, the officials said. Vance and second lady Usha Vance will travel with Kirk's family and some of his friends to Arizona. 

Spokespeople for the vice president declined to comment. 

Kirk's body was transferred from the hospital to the medical examiner's office on Wednesday night, said Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety.  

"We will continue to facilitate movements to get him home today and with his family," Mason told reporters in a press conference in Utah Thursday morning. 

The Utah Public Safety Department and the Salt Lake City FBI office on Thursday posted images on social media of someone they called a "person of interest" in the investigation.

"We are seeking the public's help in identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University," the post said. 

The department and FBI asked anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or to send digital tips through the FBI's website. 

While attending the Sept. 11 remembrance event at Ground Zero, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Americans talked about the need to educate young people about the terrorist attacks because "if we don't recenter how great this country is, and that we have both enemies that are foreign and domestic, and the same hate that took down the towers, that's the hate that took the life of Charlie Kirk."

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch also condemned the violence, but told WPIX she's also worried for security of events such as the Sept. 11 remembrance. 

"Political violence, it's just so awful, it is just so tragic and obviously my thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Kirk and his family," Tisch said. "And [to] people for mass gatherings like that and like the one we are about to experience."

A map shows the location where Charlie Kirk was shot, in the central courtyard of Utah Valley University, which is surrounded by campus buildings.

A university spokeswoman said Wednesday that they believed the shot was fired from the Losee Center. Video verified by CBS News shows a person running across the building's roof in the moments after the shooting, about 400 feet from where Kirk was speaking.

Authorities have not confirmed whether that person is connected to the attack. Drone video captured afterward shows police tape on the roof where the person was seen.

Dispatch audio reviewed by CBS News described a figure on the roof of a nearby building wearing a black tactical helmet, a black mask and carrying a long gun.

Beau Mason of the Utah Department of Public Safety said Thursday that investigators believe the suspect fired from a roof, then jumped from the building and fled into a nearby neighborhood.

This map may be updated as more information becomes available.

By CBS News Confirmed team

President Trump told reporters traveling with him for a 9/11 ceremony at the Pentagon that he plans to speak with Kirk's family this afternoon.  

A reporter asked the president how he plans to bring the nation together after this. 

"We will be discussing," Mr. Trump said. "You don't replace a Charlie Kirk. He was unique, as you all know, as well as I do. He was a unique man. But we'll do the best we can."

On the manhunt and FBI investigation to find Kirk's killer, Mr. Trump said, "we hope we get him." 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrats in Congress, called for the nation to unite following Kirk's death and said there should be no finger-pointing or blame.

"This is a time that all Americans should come together and feel and mourn what happened. Violence, which affects so many different people of so many different political persuasions, is an affliction of America, and coming together is what we ought to be doing, not pointing fingers or blame," Schumer said when asked by CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion to respond to Mr. Trump's remarks about Kirk's death on Wednesday.

In a video recorded in the Oval Office Wednesday, the president blamed the assassination on the "radical left" and said political violence and murder are the "tragic consequence of demonizing" those with opposing political views.

"For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals," the president said. "This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now."

Jeffries echoed Schumer's call for unity.

"This moment requires leadership that brings the American people together, as opposed to trying to further divide us," he said. "Political violence in any form against any American is unacceptable, should be denounced by everyone. And moving forward, we have to figure out a better way to come together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans."

— Melissa Quinn and Alan He

Speaking at the Sept. 11 remembrance event at the Pentagon, President Trump expressed "horror and grief" he and other Americans have over the "heinous assassination" of conservative figure Charlie Kirk on Wednesday. 

"Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people," Mr. Trump said. "Our prayers are with his wonderful wife Erika and his beautiful children. Fantastic people, they are."

He continued, "We miss him greatly yet I have no doubt that Charlie's voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on. I'm pleased to announce that I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk posthumously the Medal of Freedom."

The president said the date of the ceremony will be announced, and he's sure there will be a very big crowd. 

Read more here.

Bohls, of the FBI, said investigators have received more than 130 tips, and said these and other leads are being "fully investigated."

Bohls said that the FBI has "brought every resource to bear" to find the gunman who assassinated Kirk.

"Any attack on the First Amendment is an attack on the very foundation of our democracy," he said. "That is why we will relentlessly pursue this case and the shooter until we find him."

Mason, the Utah commissioner of public safety, said that investigators were able to track the movements of the shooter before and after the assassination.

He said the gunman is believed to have arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m. local time and moved through stairwells to the roof of a building near where Kirk's event was taking place, which was the shooting location. After firing a single shot, Mason said the shooter then moved to the other side of the building, jumped off and fled into an off-campus neighborhood. Investigators contacted homeowners with cameras, as well as witnesses, to identify leads, he added.

Mason also urged the public not to harass persons of interest who spoke to law enforcement Wednesday and then were released. 

Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said he spoke with Kirk's wife Wednesday night. He said "the family is devastated."

"I can only imagine what that family is going through," Mason said. "The heinous event that happened yesterday is not Utah. This is not what we're known for."

Mason said "we will not stand for what happened yesterday."

"We are exhausting every lead, we have every officer invested in this, every investigator, every local agency. The outpouring of support for the law enforcement community has been astounding. We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual."

FBI special-agent-in-charge Robert Bohls said during a press conference that investigators have recovered the weapon used in Kirk's assassination, which he said is a "high-powered, bolt-action rifle."

The gun was found in a wooded area where the shooter fled and will be analyzed by the FBI, Bohls said. Investigators also have a footwear impression, palm print and forearm imprints that will be analyzed, the FBI official said.

Bohls told reporters during the press conference that FBI agents are working "around the clock" with law enforcement partners and pledged to continue working "until we find the person that has committed this heinous crime and find out why they did it."

Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, revealed that the suspect is still at-large, but said he "blended in" with the college community and appears to be "college-age."

"We will catch this individual," he said.

Bohls, of the FBI, said the shooting appears to be a "targeted event."

Utah Department of Public Safety commissioner Beau Mason said Thursday that they had "good security footage" of the suspect, but "we are not going to release it at this time."

Mason said they are "working through some technologies and some ways to identify this individual," and if they are unsuccessful, they will push it publicly through the media. 

Vice President JD Vance canceled a planned trip to New York to mark 24 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and will instead go to Salt Lake City, Utah, to pay respects to Kirk's family, according to a source familiar with the plans.

The vice president will be joined by his wife, second lady Usha Vance.

The White House rapid response account on X shared a clip from CNBC's Squawkbox Thursday morning, where anchor Joe Kernen said Mr. Trump had called. Kernen recalled what the president said about Kirk.

"He's devastated about Charlie Kirk," Kernen said. "And he said he helped him greatly in the last election and thinks that Charlie Kirk could have been president some day, he was such a talented guy."

The president went on to say that the country will heal, according to Kernen. 

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Thursday that "we cannot let what happened yesterday be the norm," as he decried political violence in the aftermath of Kirk's death.

"Unfortunately, we've seen politics degrading where some people feel if they disagree with you politically, they've got to try to go and eliminate those people," Scalise said on "CBS Mornings." "That is not what America is. You know, we solve our differences at the ballot box."

Scalise said of Kirk that "even if people disagreed with him, he wasn't calling them names, he would engage and talk about the differences." 

"We've got to get back to that," he said.

Scalise, who was shot by a gunman in 2017 at a practice for the annual congressional baseball game, said "it was hard to focus" on the House floor Wednesday night because "my mind just kept going back to Charlie and his family, surely went back to 2017 in the shooting where, you know, a crazed gunman tried to kill me and about a dozen other members of Congress because of our political beliefs."

"This can't be allowed to be acceptable," he said. 

Asked what a more constructive conversation looks like, and the role Congress plays in lowering the temperature, Scalise said "one of the greatest things of America is that we do have differences and that we can express them."

"Celebrate the fact that we have differences and we can freely express them, and don't allow anybody to try to threaten somebody, to try to physically attack somebody for their differences," Scalise said.

Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban pulled no punches in assigning blame for Kirk's shooting, pointing in a post on X to "the international hate campaign waged by the progressive-liberal left.

"This is what led to the attacks on Robert Fico, on Andrej Babiš, and now on Charlie Kirk. We must stop the hatred! We must stop the hate-mongering left!"

Fico, Slovakia's prime minister, was shot and critically wounded in May 2024. Babiš, a former Czech prime minister, was attacked with a club at a campaign rally and hospitalized for a short time earlier this month, Politico reported, adding that he's leading in polls looking at an October parliamentary election.

Republican students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh have used a long-standing tradition for exercising free speech by painting the university's campus "Fence" to honor Kirk, CBS News Pittsburgh reported.

The Fence was painted on one side with a message reading "Say no to political violence." The other side was painted to say "Rest in peace Charlie Kirk."

The Utah college where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday is the state's largest public university after years of rapid enrollment growth, but is lesser known than other colleges in the state.

Utah Valley University was founded under a different name in 1941 as a vocational school focused on providing war production training. It didn't begin offering four-year degrees until the 1990s, a move that fueled a fivefold increase in enrollment over the next three decades. It now has nearly 47,000 students, according to the university website.

Utah Valley University's campus is right off a major highway about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City, where the state's flagship school, the University of Utah, is located. Utah Valley is also just a few miles from Brigham Young University, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known widely as the Mormon church. 

Hundreds of people attended a vigil for Kirk Wednesday evening at the Utah State Capitol building, CBS Salt Lake City affiliate KUTV reports. It was organized by members of the Utah House of Representatives.

Republican Rep. Karianne Lisonbee said, "This was Republicans, Democrats, and everybody coming together, denouncing this senseless violence that took Charlie's life."

Kirk was remembered as a passionate voice in American politics who was silenced for sharing his ideas, KUTV notes.

Vice President JD Vance noted late Wednesday that Kirk advocated "in public and private" for President Trump to pick him as his running mate last year, following what Vance described as an eight-year-long friendship between the vice president and the conservative commentator.

Vance said he first interacted with Kirk in 2017, when he sent Vance a complimentary message on Twitter following an appearance on Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight." The vice president noted that both he and Kirk were initially Trump "skeptics" before becoming vociferous supporters.

The vice president said Kirk was "one of the first people I called" when Vance mulled a run in Ohio's 2022 Senate race, a campaign that vaulted him into elected politics. During that campaign, he said Kirk introduced him to Donald Trump Jr., a close Kirk ally.

Kirk and Vance remained in close contact after that, including during the 2024 campaign, the vice president said. He praised Turning Point USA's role in organizing pro-Trump events last year and credited Kirk with some of the Trump administration's personnel decisions.

"So much of the success we've had in this administration traces directly to Charlie's ability to organize and convene," Vance wrote. "He didn't just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government."

The FBI said in a Wednesday night statement its Salt Lake City field office "responded immediately" to the shooting that killed Kirk. The agency said it has "full resources devoted to this investigation, including tactical, operational, investigative and intelligence."

The FBI is investigating the shooting along with Utah state authorities.

About 3,000 people attended the outdoor event at Utah Valley University where Kirk was fatally shot, the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement.

The school's police department had six officers working the event, and Kirk's own traveling security detail was present, the department said.

Kirk visited the school as part of a nationwide tour of college campuses planned for the next two months. He was shot while sitting at a "Prove Me Wrong" table — a signature event in which Kirk engages in rapid-fire political debates with a crowd of typically left-leaning spectators.

The Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement late Wednesday there is still an ongoing "manhunt for the shooter" who killed Kirk.

Earlier in the day, two people were taken into police custody as suspects, but neither had any ties with the shooting, the agency said. One of the two was later charged with obstruction by campus police at Utah Valley University, the location of the shooting.

The Department of Public Safety called it a "targeted attack" and said the suspect is believed to have shot at Kirk from the roof of a building. In a press conference earlier, DPS Commissioner Beau Mason said only one shot was fired, and Kirk was the sole victim.

State authorities said they have multiple active crime scenes, "based on where the victim was shot, as well as the locations where the suspect and victim traveled."

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Southern California said it canceled a planned book signing with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro on Wednesday in a "mark of respect."

Shapiro said on X earlier he was "utterly stunned and heartbroken and sick to my soul" over Kirk's death.

Read more here.

The Utah college campus where Kirk was shot will remain closed until Monday, the school announced late Wednesday.

Utah Valley University said all events and classes — including remote classes — will be "suspended" through Sunday.

Utah Valley University has 27,481 undergraduate students, making it the largest public college in the state. Its main campus is in Orem, located 35 miles south of Salt Lake City, with other campuses in several Utah communities.

Every living former president has spoken out about Wednesday's shooting. 

Former President Bill Clinton said on X he is "saddened and angered by Charlie Kirk's murder."

"And I hope we all go through some serious introspection and redouble our efforts to engage in debate passionately, yet peacefully," Clinton wrote.

Former President George W. Bush said in a statement that Kirk was "murdered in cold blood while expressing his political views."

"Violence and vitriol must be purged from the public square. Members of other political parties are not our enemies; they are our fellow citizens," Bush wrote.

Hours earlier, former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden offered similar condemnations of the shooting.

Obama wrote on X that "this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy."

And Biden said: "There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now."

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday evening that lawmakers are "still kind of in shock" following Kirk's death.

"It was a sad day on Capitol Hill," the Louisiana Republican said in an interview on Fox News, adding: "There are many Republican members in Congress who were friends with Charlie. He was a good friend of mine."

"The mood in Congress today was something … I haven't seen since that shooting that involved the congressional members on the baseball field," Johnson said, referring to a 2017 shooting targeting GOP lawmakers as they practiced for the annual congressional baseball game. Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana was shot in the hip.

President Trump late Wednesday blamed Kirk's shooting on "radical left political violence," saying it "has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives."

"For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals," he said in a video posted to Truth Social. "This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now."

The motive for the shooting remains unclear. Police have not identified a suspect, and authorities in Utah said earlier Wednesday they are looking for the perpetrator.

Mr. Trump said his administration "will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity, and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it."

The president listed off several other instances of violence, including last year's assassination attempt against him in Pennsylvania, the 2017 shooting that wounded Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana and the deadly December shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO.

Mr. Trump did not mention several other recent acts of political violence that targeted Democratic officials. Nancy Pelosi's husband was attacked at home in 2022. And earlier this year, a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were fatally shot, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence faced an arson attack.

First lady Melania Trump wrote on X that Kirk's children "will be raised with stories instead of memories."

The Salt Lake City FBI field office has set up an online form here to collect any information or tips about the shooting.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — whose father and uncle were both assassinated in the 1960s — wrote in reaction to Kirk's death: "Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era."

Kennedy called Kirk a "relentless and courageous crusader for free speech."

Kennedy's father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, was fatally shot in 1968 while running for president. The health secretary's uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963 during a visit to Dallas.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said in reaction to Kirk's killing: "I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination."

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said authorities believe it was a "targeted attack toward one individual." He said only one shot was fired, and Kirk was the only victim.

"This is a dark day for our state. It's a tragic day for our nation," the governor said.

"Our nation is broken," he added.

Police have not yet specified a motive.

FBI Director Kash Patel said on X a "subject" who was taken into custody following the Kirk shooting "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.

He did not name the person who was released.

Hours earlier, Utah. Gov. Spencer Cox said there was an unnamed "person of interest in custody," but Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said the suspect in the shooting remained at large. Mason and Cox both said authorities are working to find the perpetrator.

Separately, a different person was taken into custody "shortly after the shooting," but he was released "after we identified that he did not match the shooting suspect and was not an accurate person of interest," according to Mason. 

However, that person was later booked into county jail for obstruction of justice, Mason said.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said there is a "person of interest in custody" in connection with Kirk's shooting. His comments came shortly after FBI Director Kash Patel said, "The subject for the horrific shooting" is in custody.

However, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said a suspect is still at large. 

"I want to make it crystal clear right now to whoever did this: We will find you, we will try you, and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law," Cox said. "And I just want to remind people that we still have the death penalty here in the state of Utah."

Cox said they are looking for "anyone" who has any information about the shooting. He said that at this time, they don't believe there is a second person involved.

Mason said investigators have information from security footage, and that the shot came from a location on campus, "potentially from a roof." 

The leaders of several U.S. allies condemned Wednesday's shooting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X that Kirk "was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom," describing the activist as a "lion-hearted friend of Israel."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote: "We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear - there can be no justification for political violence." While primarily a U.S.-based group, Kirk's Turning Point USA has a British offshoot that focuses on conservative activism in Britain.

And Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the killing an "atrocious murder" and a "deep wound for democracy."

In its first formal public statement, Kirk's organization, Turning Point USA, confirmed Kirk's death and asked for prayers for his young family. 

"It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Charles James Kirk has been murdered by a gunshot that took place during Turning Point USA's 'The American Comeback Tour' campus event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025," TPUSA wrote. "May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving savior, who suffered and died for Charlie. We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers. We ask that you please respect their privacy and dignity at this time."

Kirk's death comes as the nation has confronted a rash of political violence in recent years, including two assassination attempts against Mr. Trump last year and an attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in 2022. 

A man was arrested outside the Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh armed with a gun, knife and various tools after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. The man was charged with attempting to murder a Supreme Court justice, and he pleaded guilty in April.

Jury selection began this week in the trial of Ryan Routh, the man charged with attempting to assassinate Mr. Trump last year in South Florida, while he was a candidate for president. Routh pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and firearms violations. 

Gabby Giffords, a former congresswoman from Arizona was shot in the head during a constituent event in 2011, said she was "horrified" by the shooting.

"Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence," she said on X.

Former President Barack Obama condemned the shooting, calling it "despicable violence" in a post on X.

"We don't yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy," Obama said. "Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie's family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children."

After Kirk's death, Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters said in a statement that "Republicans and Democrats alike must stand united in condemning this brutality that has no place in America."

"Charlie Kirk was a father, husband, and dedicated patriot who spent his life defending conservative values and inspiring young Americans," Gruther said in a statement. "The horrifying violence at Utah Valley University that took the life of Charlie Kirk is utterly appalling."

Former President Joe Biden decried the attack on Kirk in a post on social media. 

"There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk's family and loved ones," he said in a post shared to X.

The president said he's ordering all American flags to be lowered to half staff until Sunday. The president can order flags on federal grounds to fly at half staff. 

"In honor of Charlie Kirk, a truly Great American Patriot, I am ordering all American Flags throughout the United States lowered to Half Mast until Sunday evening at 6 P.M.," the president wrote on Truth Social. 

A proclamation issued by the White House directed flags at public buildings, embassies, military installations and naval bases in the U.S. and abroad to be flown at half staff, in "a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk."

Conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk had a huge influence on young voters. CBS News' Ed O'Keefe and Robert Costa have more in the video below.