President Donald Trump said in an interview on Fox and Friends on Friday Morning that a person of interest in the killing of Charlie Kirk has been detained.
"I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody. Everyone did a great job, worked with local police, governor, everybody did a great job," President Trump said.
The suspect in custody in connection with Kirk's killing was identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The FBI and Justice Department did not immediately comment on this information — however, a press conference in Utah is planned for Friday.
President Trump says he hopes the shooter gets the death penalty. He indicated in the interview that there was help from a minister who works with law enforcement, who knows a U.S. Marshall, and “they took it from there.”
"Somebody very close to him said, 'That's him,'" President Trump said. "And essentially went to the father, who went to a U.S. Marshal, who is fantastic and the person was involved with law enforcement, but was a person of faith, a minister. And brought him to a U.S. Marshal, who is fantastic, and the father convinced the son that this is it."
President Trump said he was subject to being corrected as he had just learned about the detainment moments before the interview.
On Thursday, officials released photos of a "person of interest," depicting a young adult male wearing a hat, sunglasses and T-shirt.
Law enforcement officials are expected to hold a news conference at 9 a.m. They have not yet confirmed that a person of interest is in custody.
As of Thursday evening, the FBI had received over 7,000 tips related to the case. Officials said the volume of tips outnumbered those involving the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
Kirk, a conservative activist closely aligned with President Trump, was killed on Wednesday during a speaking event at Utah Valley University.
