'We got him': Utah governor identifies suspect arrested over Charlie Kirk killing

A suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of the rightwing activist Charlie Kirk.

- Shrai Popat Washington, Anna Betts and Sam Levine, New York

A suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of the rightwing activist Charlie Kirk. The governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, yesterday identified the man as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

"We got him," Cox said at a press conference, adding that Robinson was arrested and taken into custody in Washington county on Thursday at 10pm local time.

Cox said a family friend of Robinson had contacted the authorities and told officers that Robinson "confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident".

Robinson was spotted wearing clothing that was consistent with surveillance images, and investigators have also seen messages he sent via the group chat app Discord that linked him to the shooting, Cox said.

Kirk was shot and killed with a single bullet fired from a distant rooftop while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem.

About 3,000 people had gathered to hear the 31-year-old, a co-founder of the hard-right youth organization Turning Point USA, or to debate with him over his characteristic inflammatory public speech and often extremist views on race, immigration, gender identity and gun rights.

Cox said family members told investigators that Robinson had "become more political in recent years" and had mentioned Kirk was coming to UVU.

"They talked about why they didn't like him and the viewpoints he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate," Cox said.

A high-powered Mauser rifle found near the scene of the suspect's initial escape route contained an unfired bullet that Cox said was marked with the message "hey, fascist, catch!"