‘We got him’: Authorities announce apprehension of Charlie Kirk shooting suspect

OREM, Utah — Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced the arrest of a 22-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Friday press conference, saying “we got him.”

The suspect was identified as Tyler Robinson and was taken into custody at 10 p.m. Thursday in St. George, Utah, about 280 miles south of Orem, after a family member contacted authorities.

President Donald Trump praised local and state authorities for their work tracking down the suspect. After Kirk was killed Wednesday after being struck in the neck with one single shot, officials shared video Thursday of a man on the rooftop of a Utah Valley University building.

Trump said he hoped the suspect would be found guilty and get the death penalty.

“Charlie Kirk, he was the finest person,” Trump said. “He didn’t deserve this.”

— Los Angeles Times

After Charlie Kirk’s shooting, how will security change for polarizing public figures?

LOS ANGELES — Less than 24 hours after a bullet whizzed across a Utah college campus and claimed the life of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, polarizing figures from across the political spectrum swiftly canceled public events.

Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, decided to postpone a North Carolina stop on the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour this weekend, while Trump allies Steve Bannon and Rudy Giuliani reportedly nixed plans for a New York gathering due to “increased security concerns.”

Popular leftist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who was set to debate Kirk at Dartmouth College later this month, told Politico he would “wait for the temperature to lower” before holding in-person events again.

Kirk’s assassination comes amid a spate of attacks on high-profile political figures — including two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump — that security experts say will change the way large-scale political events are held, with open-air venues increasingly seen as risky.

— Los Angeles Times

Stephen King apologizes for Charlie Kirk comment that sparked outrage

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination earlier this week, Stephen King has issued an apology after claiming the conservative activist supported “stoning gays.”

The bestselling author found himself in the crosshairs after replying to a tweet from Fox News host Jesse Watters, who said Kirk was not “controversial” or “polarizing” but a patriot.

“He advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin,” King replied on Thursday in a now-deleted tweet.

After igniting a firestorm on social media, King attempted to correct the record as tensions reached a fever pitch.

“I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages,” King tweeted Friday morning.

— New York Daily News

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker calls for ‘full, factual accounting’ after ICE agents fatally shoot man in suburban traffic stop

CHICAGO — Gov. JB Pritzker called for transparency after a federal immigration agent fatally shot a man in northwest suburban Franklin Park after the agency reported the man tried to flee a traffic stop and struck the officer with his vehicle.

The man who was killed was identified by the Department of Homeland Security as Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, 38. DHS said in a written statement that Villegas-Gonzalez is a citizen of Mexico and was in the U.S. illegally, though further details were not provided.

Pritzker on Friday afternoon said in a social media post he was “aware of the troubling incident that has unfolded in Franklin Park,” without providing further details.

“This is a developing situation and the people of Illinois deserve a full, factual accounting of what’s happened today to ensure transparency and accountability,” Pritzker said.

— Chicago Tribune

Trump sending National Guard to Memphis in next deployment

President Donald Trump said he plans to deploy the National Guard to Memphis in the latest escalation of his administration’s efforts to crack down on what it casts as rampant crime in Democratic-run cities.

“We’re going to Memphis,” Trump said Friday morning in an interview with Fox News, adding that the city was “deeply troubled.”

The president said the deployment would include “National Guard and anyone else we need.” Hours after he spoke, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said the “comprehensive mission” would encompass the National Guard, FBI, state highway patrol, Memphis Police Department and other law enforcement agencies.

“We’re going to straighten out the crime of these cities,” Trump said.

— Bloomberg News