Suspect now in custody after fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel says

UPDATE 6:35 p.m. ET: FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X Wednesday evening that a suspect is now in custody after the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk earlier in the day on a college campus in Utah.

"The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody," Patel wrote on the social media platform. "Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with @fbi. We will provide updates when able."

UPDATE 5 p.m. ET: Blaze News has confirmed through multiple sources that Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was murdered Wednesday on a college campus in Utah.

Scott Trotter, a spokesman for Utah Valley University, released a statement saying the suspect is not yet in custody, Deseret News reported: “On September 10, 2025, at 12:20 a single shot rang out in the quad near the food court on the Utah Valley University Orem Campus as Mr. Charlie Kirk began speaking at his planned rally. We can confirm that Mr. Kirk was shot, but we don’t know his condition. The suspect is not in custody. Police are still investigating. Campus is closed for the rest of the day.”

Blaze News changed the headline of this initial report to reflect new information about the suspect as well as Kirk's death.

UPDATE 4:17 p.m. ET: The New York Times, citing Scott Trotter, a university spokesman, reported that police determined that a person who was taken into custody after the shooting was not actually the shooter.

Blaze News has removed from its original report an X post and references to it showing a video of a man kneeling on the ground who was believed to be the shooter.

UPDATE 3:49 p.m. ET: Deseret News now reports that initially it was believed a shooter was in custody, but the outlet just updated its story saying that a first responder indicated officials aren't sure they have the shooter and that the suspect may still be at large.

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A suspect is in custody after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot Wednesday at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Deseret News reported.

The outlet said bystanders reported seeing Kirk shot near his neck during a Q&A with students.

Deseret News cited a UVU alert to students that indicated a suspect is in custody. The outlet added that the campus has been evacuated.

"A single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker. Police are investigating now, suspect in custody," the alert reads, according to Deseret.

The suspect's name wasn't immediately released, the outlet added.

Blaze News has reached out to campus communications and police in Orem for additional information.

This is a breaking news story; updates will be added.

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