A suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university has been taken into custody, US President Donald Trump says.
Mr Kirk’s killer has eluded police and federal agents for more than 24 hours after Wednesday’s shooting, in which a sniper fired a single gunshot that killed Kirk during an appearance at Utah Valley University in Orem.
“I think we have him,” Trump told Fox News in an interview.
“I think with a high degree of certainty we have him in custody.”
The US president told the show “Fox and Friends” a family member and a local minister involved in law enforcement helped turn the suspect in, but cautioned his information was preliminary.
Mr Trump did not share the suspect’s identity and told Fox News he didn’t know if the suspect was part of a bigger network.
Law enforcement authorities are yet to publicly confirm a suspect is in custody.
Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a Utah Valley University event. (The Salt Lake Tribune: Trent Nelson via Reuters)
A source familiar with the operation confirmed with Reuters that a suspect in the shooting was in the custody of Utah state law enforcement.
Previously, US investigators said they had found a Mauser .30-caliber bolt-action rifle in a towel in the woods, which they believed had been used to kill Mr Kirk.
A spent cartridge was recovered from the chamber, and three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press.
The weapon and ammunition are being analysed by law enforcement at a federal lab.
The FBI released two images of a “person of interest” and asked for information from the public. (X: FBI Salt Lake City)
The FBI had also circulated grainy images apparently taken from security cameras showing a “person of interest” wearing a black top, black sunglasses and a dark baseball cap.
The long-sleeved top appears to have been emblazoned with an image of a bald eagle flying across a US flag.
More than 7,000 leads and tips have poured in, officials said.
Authorities have yet to publicly name the suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.
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