by Tablet Staff
Authorities announced a suspect has been arrested in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who died after being shot on Sept. 10 during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
The accused shooter is 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said during a Sept. 12 press conference has been booked in Utah County Jail, with charging documents expected to be filed early next week.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we got him,” Cox said, going on to credit Robinson’s family for helping the investigation. “I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing in this case and were able to bring him in to law enforcement.”
Cox cited as key pieces of evidence engravings on bullets found in the rifle believed to have been used in the attack, and chatting app messages sent to Robinson’s roommate that he shared with law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
On Sept. 11, Kirk’s body was flown on Air Force Two accompanied by Vice President J.D. Vance and his family from Utah to his home state of Arizona. Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and two young children — a 16-month-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.
Also on Sept. 11, President Donald Trump announced that Kirk will posthumously be honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife, Erika, and his beautiful children. Fantastic people they are,” Trump said on Sept. 11, adding that he was “pleased to announce that I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk, posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
In the days following the attack, Trump, Catholic bishops, and other public officials have called for prayers and expressed the need for civility and dialogue across society.
During an interview on Currents News, Bishop Robert Brennan stressed the Church’s role in leading by example.
“The key thing is to listen. We’ve been hearing a lot about the synodal way — that’s what the synodal way is,” Bishop Brennan said. “We need to listen deeply to one another.”
Bishop Brennan also credited Kirk for living out his faith.
“He was a young man who brought his faith into what he believed and how he spoke, and he encouraged other young people to do the same,” he said. “That’s a great thing, and it makes me proud of a lot of our young people who are very much of that ilk.”
Several dozen Catholics gathered at a park in Kirk’s hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona, late on Sept. 10 for a rosary vigil in his honor. The event was organized by Kirk’s friend John Yep, president of the nonprofit organization Catholics for Catholics.
Yep said that even though Kirk wasn’t Catholic, he often went to the Church, noting that “love [for] the Blessed Virgin Mary” was “growing on him.”
“That same Blessed Mother [is] helping Charlie make it, hopefully, to heaven on his journey,” Yep said, “and she’s going to be helping her little kids down here who lost their daddy today.”