By 
This undated combination of images provided provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
The suspect in custody in connection with the assassination of Charlie Kirk is a 22-year-old from Utah, authorities said Friday.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox identified the man as Tyler Robinson. Cox was joined by FBI Director Kash Patel and other officials at a news conference announcing the arrest.
President Donald Trump announced earlier Friday “with a high degree of certainty” that the suspect in Kirk’s killing has been caught.
Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem. More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in as authorities responded to the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.
A Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle was found in a towel in the woods. A spent cartridge was recovered from the chamber, and three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press.
The assassination offers the latest example of how ordinary security measures can be defeated in an era of escalating political violence, when anyone associated with the political process is a potential target. Security experts interviewed by AP questioned whether the event was sufficiently staffed but also acknowledged the limitations of both campus police forces and outdoor venues.
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Cox calls social media a ‘cancer on our society right now’
The Utah governor was referencing the rapid spread of graphic video of Kirk’s fatal shooting, along with the recent release of video a deadly stabbing on a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He said Americans aren’t used to seeing such graphic imagery. He encouraged people to step away from their devices and spend time with family instead.
“This is not good for us. It is not good to consume,” Cox said. “Social media is a cancer on our society right now.”
FBI Director Patel shares timeline of investigation
The first FBI agents arrived on the scene at Utah Valley University some 16 minutes after Kirk was shot on Wednesday, Patel said at the news conference.
The bureau released the first photos of the suspect on Thursday morning, followed by the announcement of a cash reward and then the release of video of the suspect climbing down from the roof of a campus building and running away.
“Just last night, the suspect was taken into custody at 10 p.m. local time,” Patel announced.
Governor says Kirk’s assassination ‘is an attack on all of us’
Cox said some people have asked why there have been so many resources dedicated to investigating Kirk’s killing when there’s violence around the country, but the governor said it is “much bigger than an attack on an individual. It is an attack on all of us.”
The Republican said Kirk’s killing is “an attack on the American experiment” and values, and “cuts to the very foundation of who we are.”
Details of messages on bullet casings revealed
Bullet casings discovered by investigators had several inscriptions engraved on them, Cox said. The casing that had been fired read: “notices bulges OWO what’s this?”
1. Cox said there were three unfired casings:
2. One read, “hey fascist! catch!” with an up arrow symbol, right arrow symbol, and three down arrow symbols.
3. Another one read: “oh bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao,” Cox said.
4. The third fired casing read: “if you read this you are gay lmao.”
Utah governor on Kirk suspect: ‘We got him’
Cox opened a news conference on the latest developments in Kirk’s assassination with that statement.
Cox said the assassination suspect had grown more political and was opposed to Kirk’s beliefs, and that he had indicated to a family friend that he was connected to the shooting.
