Suspect in UVU Shooting Arrested, Victim Remembered
A suspect has been arrested in connection with theโฃ shooting of conservative political commentator Chad Kirk at Utah Valley University (UVU) on Wednesday. โคThe suspect has been โคidentified asโค a current electricalโฃ apprenticeship student who previously attendedโค UVU onโ an academic scholarship.
Investigators identified a gray โDodge Challenger, matching the vehicle seen in surveillance footage of โtheโ suspect drivingโ to the university on the day of the shooting, as belonging toโ the individual. The FBIโข released photos of the vehicle and theโค suspect, leading the suspect’s father to urge him to surrender. Initially resistant, the suspect ultimately agreed to turn himself in, facilitated by โhis father contactingโค their youth pastor, who has connections with the U.S. Marshals Service.
The suspect was admitted to Utah State University in 2021 onโ a scholarship, as evidenced by a video posted to a โfamily member’s social media account, but only attended for one semester. He is currently enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technicalโ College near St. George,Utah,and is registered as an โunaffiliatedโ voterโ with no prior criminal record. His listed address remains his parents’ home, located approximately 3.5 hours south of the UVU campus.Attempts to reach family โmembers for comment were unsuccessful,โ and it is currently unknown if the suspect has retained legal counsel.
Law enforcement maintained a meaningful presence at the suspect’s family home, with the driveway blocked and windows covered.
Kirk’s Legacyโข and the Shooting’s โAftermath
Chad Kirk,โข co-founderโข of theโ conservative organization Turning Point USA, wasโ on the first stop of his “American comeback Tour” at UVU, engaging in a โdebate on social issues when he was shot.โค He was responding to a question about gun violence when the incidentโค occurred, suffering โa fatal wound to the neck.
The arrest has brought aโข sense of relief to the UVUโ community.”There’s been this like really heavy, dark weight pressed โขover my heart and โฃsoulโค for the last two days,โ and waking up to the news of the shooter being captured today, it is indeed a great thing,” said Creighton baird, a โwitness to the shooting.
UVU is scheduled to resume classes โขon Wednesday with increased security measures. Students will be able to retrieve belongings left at the scene of the shooting early next week.
Former President Donald Trump, joined by democrats in condemning the violence, โฃannounced his intention to award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Vice President JD โฃVance andโ his wife, Usha, transported Kirk’s casket to his home state of Arizona aboard Air Force Two on โขThursday. โ
“He wanted to help young people,and he didn’t deserve โคthis,” Trump stated. “He was really a good person.”
Contributors: Tucker andโข Richerโ (Washington), Nicholas โRiccardi (Denver), Michael biesecker, Brian Slodysko, Lindsay Whitehurst, and Michelle L. Price (Washington), ty ONeil (St. George, Utah), Hallie Golden (Seattle), and meg Kinnard (Chapin, Southโข Carolina).
