Trump called for the death penalty for the recently captured killer of Charlie Kirk.

The murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has sparked a strong nationwide reaction, led by President Donald Trump, who demanded the death penalty for the person responsible for the crime.

During an interview on the program "Fox & Friends" this Friday morning, Trump announced that a suspect is in custody, information that has been officially confirmed by the authorities handling the case in the last few minutes.

"I believe, with a high degree of certainty, that we have him in custody," Trump stated, adding that the information was communicated to him just five minutes before going on air. According to the president, the suspect's father was the one who alerted the authorities and convinced his son to turn himself in. "That's all," he concluded.

Although law enforcement has not yet revealed details about the suspect, Trump insisted that justice be served with the death penalty. "In Utah, they have the death penalty, and a good governor, I know him well," he said, referring to Governor Spencer Cox. "The governor is determined to apply the death penalty in this case, and that's how it should be."

Governor Cox, in previous statements during a press conference, had also described the crime as a "political murder" and expressed his firm intention to seek the death penalty if the case goes to trial. "I want to make it absolutely clear: we will find the person responsible, we will prosecute him, and we will hold him accountable with the full weight of the law," the governor declared.

The events took place Wednesday afternoon on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. According to information released by the Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner, Beau Mason, the striker arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m., went up the stairs to the roof of a building near the outdoor event where Kirk was, and fired a single fatal shot around 12:20 p.m. He then fled the scene, jumping from the other side of the building and escaping into a nearby neighborhood.

The investigation has been intense. More than 7,000 leads and at least 200 interviews have been conducted since the shooting, according to Governor Cox. Federal and state authorities are working "tirelessly" to solve the case.

The FBI, which offered a reward of up to USD 100,000 for information leading to the arrest, reported that the weapon used in the crime was recovered: a vintage Mauser bolt-action rifle, .30-06 caliber, found wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the scene of the attack.

The weapon, according to police sources, still contained the spent casing and three unfired cartridges that had inscriptions with messages considered "transgender and antifascist," although their meaning has not been determined. Authorities are investigating whether this is an attempt to mislead investigators or if the message has any connection to the motive for the crime.

The attack has been interpreted by Utah authorities as an act of political violence. The seriousness of the case and the public figure of the victim have prompted state authorities, led by Governor Cox and supported by President Trump, to demand the maximum penalty provided by law in Utah: the death penalty.