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The man arrested over conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s assassination was romantically involved with a transgender roommate and had “leftist ideology,” Utah’s governor said Sunday, confirming details likely to inflame the contentious national debate over the killing.”Yes I can confirm that,” Governor Spencer Cox told CNN’s “State of the Union” talk show when asked about suspect Tyler Robinson’s reported relationship with a trans partner.”The roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to a female,” Cox said.”This partner has been incredibly cooperative, had no idea that this was happening, and is working with investigators right now,” he added.Cox, who said 22-year-old Robinson is expected to be formally charged Tuesday, went on to stress it was not yet clear whether the partner’s transitioning was part of the alleged shooter’s mindset to kill Kirk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump.”Again, all of these things — we’re trying to figure out,” he said.Cox, who has earned plaudits for urging Americans to lower the toxic political temperature, made the rounds of US networks Sunday and told NBC talk show “Meet the Press” that investigators believed Robinson had embraced leftist beliefs.”There clearly was a leftist ideology with this — with this assassin,” Cox said.He said such information about Robinson, who has not been cooperating, was told to investigators by “people around him, from his family members and friends.”Several US media outlets on Saturday reported Robinson’s relationship with a transgender individual, sparking fury by far-right activists for whom gender identity issues have been a key focus in recent years.Laura Loomer, a conservative influencer who has Trump’s ear, called Saturday “to designate the Trans movement as a terrorist movement,” while X-owner Elon Musk elevated multiple posts calling for gender treatment bans and denouncing leftist ideology.On Saturday he went further, telling a London march organized by far-right activists that “the left is the party of murder.”Cox meanwhile reiterated a call for civility across the political spectrum, while attacking social media giants by comparing their addictive algorithms to the deadly drug fentanyl.- ‘Trans delusion’ -Kirk was shot Wednesday during a speaking event on a Utah university campus. He was the founder of the conservative youth political group Turning Point USA and was a strong critic of the transgender rights movement.He wrote on X about what he called a “trans delusion death cult” in August, shortly after two children were killed and nine others wounded at a school church shooting in Minneapolis by an assailant authorities say was a 23-year-old man who claimed to be transgender.Kirk’s provocations have stirred debate. He often invoked his Christian faith and criticized what he and others have called gender ideology.In a video posted in 2023 by Right Wing Watch, Kirk is seen describing individuals being transgender to a church audience as “a throbbing middle finger to God.”With debate raging over what inspired Kirk’s murder, a member of former president Joe Biden’s cabinet, Pete Buttigieg, stressed there was “not a consistent pattern of left versus right among the shooters” in recent high-profile attacks, noting that Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in June.”We have to reject anyone who would try to exploit political violence,” Buttigieg told NBC.”The response to this cannot be for the government to crack down on individuals or groups because they challenge the government politically.”Turning Point USA announced that a memorial service for Kirk will take place in a football stadium near Phoenix, Arizona on September 21, which Trump confirmed he will attend Sunday.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pushed back Sunday against harsh US criticism of the conviction this week of his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro on coup charges.In his first public reaction to Bolsonaro’s conviction, Lula wrote in a New York Times opinion column — addressed to US counterpart Donald Trump — that he was “proud” of the Supreme Court verdict which “safeguards our institutions and the democratic rule of law.””This was not a ‘witch hunt'” as Trump and other US officials have called the trial, Lula wrote in a guest essay titled: “Brazilian democracy and sovereignty are non-negotiable.” Trump’s ally Bolsonaro, 70, was convicted in a 4-1 decision of plotting a coup to overthrow leftist rival Lula following the far-right leader’s October 2022 election defeat.His lawyers have said they will appeal.Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison, in a conviction Trump called “very surprising” and to which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Washington will “respond accordingly.”Trump has already slapped a 50-percent tariff on many Brazilian imports, citing the trial of Bolsonaro as well as various other issues which he claimed threatened the US economy, national security, and foreign policy.The United States has also sanctioned the judge overseeing Bolsonaro’s trial, Alexandre de Moraes, who has led a charge against disinformation in Brazil, sparking feuds with US tech giants.Lula criticized Trump’s tariffs as “not only misguided but illogical,” given the United States’ trade surplus with Brazil.The lack of a logical economic rationale behind the tariffs, Lula added, “makes it clear that the motivation of the White House is political.”- Hospital visit -Lula also knocked Trump’s administration for accusing Brazil of “targeting and censoring” American tech companies like X, arguing that such firms were being regulated, not censored.And he described as “baseless” Washington’s charge of unfair practices in electronic payment services and in its digital payment system known as PIX.Lula, who at 79 is barely seven months older than Trump, said he penned his essay “to establish an open and frank dialogue” with his US counterpart, and stressed Brasilia remains “open” to negotiation on any issue.Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly criticized Brazil’s judicial system over the Bolsonaro case, which has sparked a diplomatic crisis between the two biggest economies in the Americas.But Lula insisted the judicial actions were fair and comprehensive.”It followed months of investigations that uncovered plans to assassinate me, the vice president and a Supreme Court justice,” he said.The plot was not carried out due to lack of support from the military leadership, according to the Supreme Court ruling.The process was “very much like they tried to do with me, but they didn’t get away with it at all,” Trump said Thursday, referring to his own legal battle after his supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.Bolsonaro, who has been under house arresta and banned from using social media, on Sunday made his first public appearance since the conviction, for a hospital visit.His doctor, Claudio Birolini, told reporters that the former president had eight skin lesions removed and sent for biopsies.He added that Bolsonaro, who has had multiple operations in recent years due to complications from a 2018 stabbing in his stomach, was “quite weak” and had developed slight anemia, “probably due to poor nutrition over the last month.”Dozens of supporters gathered outside the hospital to cheer on their beloved ex-president, waving Brazilian flags.”I hope justice will prevail. It’s difficult, but with the intervention of other countries…I am hopeful that it will turn out well,” one supporter, 67-year-old engineer Francisco Costa, told AFP.

For some Americans on the far right, Charlie Kirk died a “martyr” and any criticism of the hugely popular conservative activist must be punished.Online vitriol and grassroots persecution have exploded in the wake of the assassination of the 31-year-old who had been an electrifying presence on the US right, with the killing further deepening fraught political divisions in the country.Laura Sosh-Lightsy, assistant dean of students at a university in the southern state of Tennessee, found herself in hot water after posting on social media about Kirk’s death.”Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy,” she said on Facebook after the killing, which happened Wednesday in front of a large crowd at a university in Utah.Republican US Senator Marsha Blackburn quickly called out the comment — and Sosh-Lightsy.”This person should be ashamed of her post. She should be removed from her position,” the Tennessee lawmaker said. Middle Tennessee State University’s president announced that same night an employee’s firing for a “callous” comment about Kirk.Kirk, who rallied his millions of followers to help President Donald Trump win a second White House term, was both revered and reviled for his pro-gun, anti-abortion and anti-immigrant rhetoric.Shooting suspect Tyler Robinson, who was arrested Thursday, is said to have engraved anti-fascist messages on his bullet casings. This has led to a large part of the American right labeling him a “far-left” killer.Some Kirk supporters have turned into online sleuths, searching out accounts that praised or celebrated Kirk’s murder.”If they have their picture on their profile, even without a name, download the picture and reverse image search it,” conservative influencer Joey Mannarino said.”Cross-reference it with their LinkedIn profile and find their place of employment. Call the place of employment, leave Google reviews.”These efforts have targeted teachers, firefighters and even military personnel, some of whom have lost their jobs.Kirk’s murder has been condemned by both sides of the political aisle. But Trump quickly blamed the country’s “radical left,” even as authorities were only just launching a manhunt for the killer.Online trackers have targeted an Oklahoma teacher, who posted on social media: “Charlie Kirk died the same way he lived: bringing out the worst in people.”That teacher has since been investigated by the state’s Department of Education, which described his comments as “abhorrent.”- Stadium memorial service -Trump, who praised Kirk as a “giant of his generation,” has led the US government in memorializing the activist, with high-ranking US officials working to weed out critics of Kirk and his legacy.Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff in honor of his ally, and Kirk’s body was flown from Utah to his home in Phoenix, Arizona aboard Air Force Two, escorted by Vice President JD Vance.Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered members of the military to identify colleagues who mocked or celebrated Kirk’s death.US Under Secretary of State Christopher Landau declared that “foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.””I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action,” he said in a post on X.”Please feel free to bring such comments by foreigners to my attention so the @statedept can protect the American people.”Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who has Trump’s ear, has been one of the most high-profile attackers of Kirk’s critics.She denounced an employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who had expressed disgust on Instagram that flags would be lowered for “the literal racist homophobe misogynist.”Loomer shared the staffer’s LinkedIn profile and said: “These people hate us. They don’t belong near the levers of our National Power.”Following Loomer’s post, FEMA said the employee was placed on leave for making “revolting and unconscionable” comments.On Saturday, Kirk’s organization Turning Point USA announced a memorial service for its founder will be held on September 21 in a suburb of Phoenix.The chosen venue hints at the expected turnout: a stadium normally home to a professional football team, with a seating capacity of more than 63,000.

The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to make its first interest rate cut of the year at its policy meeting this week, spurred by a weakening jobs market — but political tension looms over the gathering.The Fed’s likely move would follow a monthslong push from President Donald Trump to slash rates, and comes amid growing concern about political pressure on the independent central bank.Since the bank’s last reduction in December, it has held interest rates at a range between 4.25 percent and 4.50 percent as policymakers monitor the effects of Trump’s sweeping tariffs on inflation.Analysts now broadly expect a 25 basis points rate cut at the end of its two-day meeting on Wednesday, as hiring slows.”What’s interesting is that it’s very clear what the Fed is going to do when they meet,” said Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council.”Yet, despite that, there’s high drama around this meeting,” he added, referring to personnel issues on the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).While Trump has dropped threats of ousting Fed Chair Jerome Powell over renovation costs at the central bank’s Washington headquarters, the president moved to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook in August over mortgage fraud allegations.Cook, who was appointed under former president Joe Biden and is the first Black woman to serve on the Fed’s board of governors, swiftly mounted a legal challenge against her removal.She has managed to remain in place while the lawsuit, which could have implications for similar moves against other Fed officials, plays out.Meanwhile, the early resignation in August of another Fed governor, Adriana Kugler, created a vacancy that Trump has rushed to fill with his chief economic adviser Stephen Miran.Miran chairs the White House Council of Economic Advisers but has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers over his plans to take a leave of absence — rather than resign — from the Trump administration if confirmed.A panel has nonetheless advanced his nomination and if confirmed quickly by the Republican-majority Senate, he could join the Fed in its next rate meeting.- Recession risks -Come Wednesday, markets will be focused on signals surrounding the Fed’s future pace — and size — of rate cuts, Lipsky said.KPMG chief economist Diane Swonk expects this to mark the “start of an easing cycle that the Fed won’t want to commit to.”Traders will also monitor Powell’s remarks on whether he sees inflation risks abating, particularly as worries over price pressures previously held back rate reductions.”The inflation genie has not quite been put back into the bottle,” said Wells Fargo analysts in a recent note.Data released Thursday showed that the consumer price index, a key inflation gauge, ticked up to 2.9 percent in August — its highest pace since the start of the year.”The labor market is in a precarious position, with nearly stagnant job growth, deteriorating worker sentiment and an unemployment rate that has inched above many estimates of full employment,” Wells Fargo noted.”With so little positive momentum in the labor market, recession risks have ticked higher,” the report said.- Independence worries -With Miran’s potential arrival, markets will be monitoring how much division there is within the FOMC on whether it should make a 25 basis points rate cut, a 50 basis points reduction, or keep rates unchanged.”That’s not something we’re used to seeing from the Fed,” Lipsky said. “This is a group that votes almost in unison over decades.”Analysts also warn that broader changes to the Fed’s make-up could happen more swiftly than markets expect.Presidents of the 12 regional Fed banks come up for reappointment every five years, meaning the Fed board of governors could replace them — although this has not happened before.”The markets, I think, are underpricing some of the risks to central bank independence and what it would mean for monetary policy going forward,” Lipsky said.

Authorities announced Friday they have taken into custody the person they believe shot dead Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and close ally of President Donald Trump.Here is what we know so far.- The suspect -Authorities say 22-year-old Tyler Robinson is in custody.He was arrested in St George, Utah, about 250 miles from the town of Orem, where Kirk was shot dead while speaking to a crowd at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.Law enforcement said his family had helped turn him in after he had suggested he was the shooter.- The shooting -Kirk, head of the country’s largest conservative youth movement, which he co-founded in 2012 at the age of 18, was speaking at around noon Wednesday when a shot rang out.The 31-year-old collapsed with a neck wound, according to a video clip taken from nearby. He was pronounced dead soon after in an announcement by Trump.Authorities say Robinson used a high-powered, bolt-action rifle, firing from the roof of a building up to 200 yards (185 meters) away from his target. They said the killer was lying prone, a position that can increase accuracy.- The motive – Kirk was a hero to right-wingers and helped Trump build a large youth vote in his November presidential election victory. He was also a highly divisive figure, espousing hardline views on race, gender, and gun ownership.Even his many critics often hailed Kirk’s willingness to debate, however. Kirk was on a speaking tour when he went to the Utah university.Authorities said they did not yet know the alleged shooter’s motive. He was not a student from the university.Clues may lie in the inscriptions found on bullet casings at the crime scene.One cartridge had written on it, “Hey, fascist! Catch!” said Utah Governor Spencer Cox.Another featured “Bella ciao,” apparently a reference to a World War II-era Italian anti-fascist song.Other cartridges were marked with symbols and wording that appeared to be from the online gaming culture.The United States has seen repeated politically motivated shootings and assaults over the last decade, including two assassination attempts on Trump —  in addition to a long history of political violence stretching back decades.Mass shootings by typically young, disturbed men are also common, and powerful firearms are easily available.- The political reaction -Politicians on all sides quickly condemned the killing, many of them calling on Americans to heal growing divisions.Trump’s first reaction on Wednesday was to blame “the radical left.” He toned his rhetoric down on Thursday and said that Kirk had been “an advocate of nonviolence.””That’s the way I’d like to see people respond,” he said.Kirk is being treated as a national hero by the Trump administration.Trump announced on Thursday he would posthumously decorate Kirk with America’s highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom.The Republican president also told reporters that he would attend Kirk’s funeral.Kirk’s coffin was transported to his home city of Phoenix on Vice President JD Vance’s official plane.

US authorities said Friday they had captured the man accused of killing prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk after a family member helped to turn him in, ending a frantic manhunt.”We got him,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox told a press conference.Cox identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson and said the arrest was made after one of Robinson’s relatives contacted a friend, who then contacted the police.The arrest raised a bitterly divided country’s hopes of finding answers to the shocking political murder on Wednesday.The 31-year-old was killed when hit by a single bullet in his neck while addressing a large crowd at Utah Valley University in the town of Orem.Kirk was an electrifying presence on the US far-right, with a huge following that helped Donald Trump build the youth vote in his election victory last November.The president immediately treated the killing of his ally as a matter of top national importance, ordering flags to fly at half-mast and saying he will attend Kirk’s funeral.Kirk’s hardline views on race, gender, gun ownership and what many said was his antisemitism made him an intensely divisive figure, although even opponents praised his willingness to debate.While authorities said they did not know the motive, Cox noted that anti-fascist slogans were inscribed on two of the unused bullet casings.One cartridge had written on it, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”Another featured “Bella ciao,” apparently a reference to a World War II-era Italian anti-fascist song.Other cartridges were marked with symbols and wording that appeared to be from the online gaming culture- Breakthrough in manhunt -Authorities took 33 hours to make the arrest.They quickly found the alleged murder weapon, a high-powered hunting rifle, and released photos of a young man dressed in a baseball cap and casual clothing.However, after detaining, then releasing, two people who turned out to be unconnected to the case, the police and FBI appeared to struggle.Late Thursday, officials in Orem released more details about the suspect’s clothing and initial movements after the shooting, pleading with the public to help identify him.FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrest was finally made at 10:00 pm Thursday.Cox credited assistance from the alleged killer’s own family.”On the evening of September 11th, a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend, who contacted the Washington County sheriff’s office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident,” he said.Students at the university on Thursday described their shock and their broader fears as political divisions deepen across the country.Dave Sanchez told AFP witnessing the killing made him “sick to my stomach.””We watch him all the time and so it really does feel like one of your own family members, your own brother’s been killed,” said Sanchez, 26.In Orem Park, several hundred people wearing red MAGA caps and holding American flags attended a vigil on Thursday evening, where they prayed and held a moment of silence.”It still feels insane that this happened,” Jonathan Silva, 35, told AFP. “It’s totally surreal.”- Seeking death penalty -Trump said he wanted the death penalty for the gunman.Reflecting the highly political nature of the killing, Kirk’s coffin was transported to his home city of Phoenix on Vice President JD Vance’s official plane.Footage showed Vance with his hands on the casket as it was carried to Air Force 2.Kirk, whom supporters have hailed as a martyr, co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, with his natural showmanship making him a go-to spokesman on television networks.The father-of-two used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.burs-sms/bgs

Authorities have taken into custody a person they believe is linked to the killing of Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and close ally of Donald Trump, the president himself announced Friday.Here is what we know so far:- The shooting -Kirk, head of the country’s largest conservative youth movement, which he co-founded in 2012 at the age of 18, was speaking around noon Wednesday on the campus of Utah Valley University.Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was at the event, told Fox News that Kirk was responding to a question when a shot rang out.The 31-year-old collapsed with a neck wound, according to a video clip shot from a nearby location. He was pronounced dead soon after in an announcement by Trump.Authorities said the killer used a high-powered, bolt-action rifle, firing from the roof of a building up to 200 yards (185 meters) away from his target. They said the killer was lying prone, a position that can increase accuracy.- Person detained – Trump announced Friday on Fox News that authorities have apparently taken into custody the main suspect — but he was not definitive.”We have the person that we think is the person we’re looking for.”Trump did not identify the person. Law enforcement and local authorities were set to give a press conference shortly in Orem, Utah.Until Trump’s announcement, delivered on Fox’s popular breakfast news show, police had appeared to be struggling to make a breakthrough.Late Thursday, officials in Orem held a press conference releasing more details about the suspect’s clothing and initial movements after the shooting, pleading with the public to help identify him.That may have helped. Trump said that the suspect was turned in by “somebody very close to him.”Utah Governor Spencer Cox said prosecutors “will pursue the death penalty.”- The motive -No official suggestion has been made about the motive.In a briefing late on Thursday, Cox warned that social media was filling with “a tremendous amount of disinformation.” He said “our adversaries want violence” and cited China and Russia in particular as using bots to spread discord online.Kirk was a star on the Republican right and a particularly close ally of Trump, helping him to make surging gains in the youth vote when he won election last November.However, Kirk espoused multiple far-right views, making him hugely controversial for Democrats. He also fell out at times with fellow members of the Republican right — some of them, such as white nationalist leader Nick Fuentes, saying he was not hard-right enough.The United States has seen repeated political violence over the last decade, including two assassination attempts on Trump — and in addition to a long history of political violence stretching back decades.- The political reaction -Politicians on all sides quickly condemned the killing, many of them calling on Americans to heal growing divisions.Trump’s first reaction on Wednesday was to blame “the radical left.” He toned his rhetoric down on Thursday and said that Kirk had been “an advocate of nonviolence.””That’s the way I’d like to see people respond,” he said.Kirk is being treated as a national hero by the Trump administration.Trump announced on Thursday he would posthumously decorate Kirk with America’s highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom.The Republican president also told reporters that he would attend Kirk’s funeral.Kirk’s coffin was transported to his home city of Phoenix on Vice President JD Vance’s official plane.

US President Donald Trump on Friday announced that the suspect had been taken into custody over the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk after a massive manhunt.Trump said the suspect had been turned in by a person close to him — and added that he hoped the killer of his close ally Kirk would get the death penalty.”I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump said in a surprise announcement during a live interview with Fox News. “He’s in custody.”Trump said the suspect was identified with the help of photos issued by US authorities following the murder of Kirk, who was killed by a single fatal shot during an appearance at a Utah university.”Somebody very close to him turned him in,” Trump said. “Somebody that’s very close to him said, ‘that’s him.'”Trump added that he had only been told five minutes before going on air.”It was a minister, and the minister went to a friend, a minister who was involved with law enforcement, by the way, and his good friend is a top US Marshal,” Trump said. “Then it was a father got involved, namely his father, and said, ‘we’ve got to go in.'”CNN reported separately that the man in custody had confessed to his father, who then secured him until he could be detained.”They drove into the police headquarters, and he’s there now,” added Trump.US authorities were due to give a press conference in Utah shortly after Trump’s interview.Hundreds of agents from across 20 law enforcement agencies were involved in the hunt for the killer of Kirk, a 31-year-old who rallied youth support for Trump.Images released Thursday showed a man wearing Converse shoes, a black baseball cap, dark sunglasses and what appeared to be jeans, with a long-sleeved top emblazoned with a design that included an American flag.Police say they believe the shooter fired from a rooftop up to 200 yards (180 meters) away, hitting Kirk in the neck.Video footage showed a figure running across a roof at the university, then jumping to the ground and making his way off campus towards some trees — apparently the location where a high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered.- Death penalty? -Utah Governor Spencer Cox said his state would pursue the death penalty over the case.Trump said he would back such a move. “I hope he gets the death penalty,” he told Fox.Reflecting the highly political nature of the killing, Kirk’s coffin was transported to his home city of Phoenix on Vice President JD Vance’s official plane.Footage showed Vance with his hands on the casket as it was carried to Air Force 2.Students at Utah Valley University on Thursday described their shock and their broader fears as political divisions deepen across the country.Dave Sanchez told AFP witnessing the killing made him “sick to my stomach.””We watch him all the time and so it really does feel like one of your own family members, your own brother’s been killed,” said Sanchez, 26.In Orem Park, several hundred people wearing red MAGA caps and holding American flags attended a vigil on Thursday evening, where they prayed and held a moment of silence.”It still feels insane that this happened,” Jonathan Silva, 35, told AFP. “It’s totally surreal.”Kirk, whom supporters have hailed as a “martyr,” co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, with his natural showmanship making him a go-to spokesman on television networks.The father-of-two used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.The US right-wing media was in a state of grief and anger, with contributors recounting the impact Kirk had on their lives, but Trump has urged supporters to respond peacefully.

The vast manhunt for the shooter who killed right-wing activist Charlie Kirk stretched into a third day on Friday, after police released fresh images in an effort to crack a case that has raised tensions in the United States.The gunman fired a single, fatal shot into Kirk — a 31-year-old who rallied youth support for President Donald Trump — during an appearance at a Utah university on Wednesday. Despite hundreds of agents from across 20 law enforcement agencies working the case, investigators appealed for the public’s help on Thursday and unveiled new images of a man they want to question.”We cannot do our job without the public’s help,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters, adding they had received more than 7,000 leads.The images released Thursday showed a man wearing Converse shoes, a black baseball cap, dark sunglasses and what appeared to be jeans, with a long-sleeved top emblazoned with a design that included an American flag.Police say they believe the shooter fired a single bullet from a rooftop up to 200 yards (180 meters) away, hitting Kirk in the neck.A video played at the press conference shows a figure running across a roof at the university, then jumping to the ground and making his way off campus towards some trees — apparently the location where a high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered.Cox, the Utah governor, said his state “will pursue the death penalty” when the shooter is captured.- Dark moment -Reflecting the highly political nature of the killing, Kirk’s coffin was transported to his home city of Phoenix on JD Vance’s official plane.Footage showed the vice president with his hands on the casket as it was carried to Air Force 2.The right-wing mediasphere was in a state of heightened emotion Thursday, with Fox News contributors recounting the impact Kirk had on their lives.Fox News host Jesse Watters said Wednesday the killing showed his side of the political spectrum was under attack.”Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. And what are we going to do about it?” he asked his audience.Trump urged supporters to respond peacefully, telling reporters that Kirk had been “an advocate of nonviolence.””That’s the way I’d like to see people respond,” he said.- ‘Totally surreal’ -Students at Utah Valley University on Thursday described their shock, and their broader fears as political divisions deepen across the country.Dave Sanchez told AFP witnessing the killing made him “sick to my stomach.””We watch him all the time and so it really does feel like one of your own family members, your own brother’s been killed,” said Sanchez, 26.In Orem Park, several hundred people wearing red MAGA caps and holding American flags attended a vigil on Thursday evening, where they prayed and held a moment of silence.”It still feels insane that this happened,” Jonathan Silva, 35, told AFP. “It’s totally surreal.”Silva’s wife Angelina, 27, told AFP about how the violent political polarization made the couple question their plans to have a child.”It seems a little hopeless to try to start a family and raise children in a society where there’s so much hatred and so much division,” she said.Kirk, whom supporters have hailed as a “martyr”, co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, with his natural showmanship making him a go-to spokesman on television networks.The father-of-two used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.Three months ago, a Minnesota man shot dead a Democratic lawmaker and her husband in their home. In July 2024, Trump survived an assassination attempt during his election campaign.

Investigators searching for the man who killed right-wing activist Charlie Kirk appealed for the public’s help Thursday, with no one in custody more than a day after a murder that has rocked America’s fractious politics.Kirk, a 31-year-old superstar on the Republican right who harnessed surging youth support for US President Donald Trump, was shot dead while addressing a large crowd at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.Hundreds of agents from across 20 law enforcement agencies are combing for clues to the identity of the culprit, but at a Thursday evening media briefing, they appeared to have little to show.”We cannot do our job without the public’s help,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters, adding they had received more than 7,000 leads.”We need as many, as much help as we can possibly get. Any videos or photos that you might have… should be submitted to our digital media tip line.”FBI Director Kash Patel, who on Wednesday tweeted that agents had someone in custody before having to walk that back, stood mutely as Cox spoke.No one took any questions from the assembled press corps.Pictures released Thursday showed a man detectives want to question.He was wearing Converse shoes, a black baseball cap, dark sunglasses and what appeared to be jeans, with a long-sleeved top emblazoned with a design that included an American flag.Police say they believe the shooter fired a single bullet from a rooftop up to 200 yards (180 meters) away, hitting Kirk in the neck.A video played at the press conference shows a figure running across a roof at the university, then jumping to the ground and making his way off campus towards some trees — apparently the location where a high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered. – Dark moment -Reflecting the highly political nature of the killing, Kirk’s coffin was transported to his home city of Phoenix on JD Vance’s official plane.Footage showed the vice president with his hands on the casket as it was carried to Air Force 2.Kirk’s widow, Erika, held hands with Vance’s wife after the plane arrived in Arizona, the headquarters of the powerful Turning Point USA.The right-wing mediasphere remained in a state of heightened emotion Thursday, with Fox News contributors recounting the impact Kirk had on their lives.Fox News host Jesse Watters said Wednesday the killing showed his side of the political spectrum was under attack.”Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. And what are we going to do about it?” he asked his audience.Trump urged supporters to respond peacefully, telling reporters that Kirk had been “an advocate of nonviolence.””That’s the way I’d like to see people respond,” he said.- ‘Totally surreal’ -Students at Utah Valley University on Thursday described their shock, and their broader fears as political divisions deepen across the country.Dave Sanchez told AFP witnessing the killing made him “sick to my stomach.””We watch him all the time and so it really does feel like one of your own family members, your own brother’s been killed,” said Sanchez, 26.In Orem Park, several hundred people wearing red MAGA caps and holding American flags attended a vigil on Thursday evening, where they prayed and held a moment of silence.”It still feels insane that this happened,” Jonathan Silva, 35, told AFP. “It’s totally surreal.”Silva’s wife Angelina, 27, told AFP about how the violent political polarization made the couple question their plans to have a child.”It seems a little hopeless to try to start a family and raise children in a society where there’s so much hatred and so much division,” she said.Kirk, whom supporters have hailed as a “martyr”, co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, with his natural showmanship making him a go-to spokesman on television networks.The father-of-two used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.Three months ago, a Minnesota man shot dead a Democratic lawmaker and her husband in their home. In July 2024, Trump survived an assassination attempt during his election campaign.