The nation is reeling after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, with high-profile figures like President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance paying tribute to the slain 31-year-old alongside hundreds of thousands of Americans. Democrats, meanwhile, have been attempting to fault the president for political violence, and tens of thousands of leftists have been celebrating Kirk’s slaughter. Here are the latest updates.

Antifa-Aligned, Pro-Transgender Suspect in Custody

Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspected of killing Kirk on Wednesday, has been apprehended and taken into custody after his father turned the young man in to authorities. The FBI subsequently confirmed that DNA from the crime scene has been found to match Robinson’s DNA.

While Democrats were quick to point out that Robinson is a young, white male from a family of registered Republicans, evidence suggests that the assassin was linked to the radical, violent Antifa organization and was motivated to kill Kirk by pro-transgender sentiment. Robinson’s roommate and boyfriend identified as transgender, according to Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R), and was in the process of a gender transition procedure. “I can confirm that,” Cox said of early reports that Robinson was involved with a transgender-identifying individual. “I know that has been reported, and that the FBI has confirmed that as well — that the roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female.”

According to Fox News, relatives of the unnamed transgender-identified roommate testified that the roommate “hates conservatives and Christians.” Robinson was also active in Antifa-aligned Discord servers and chat rooms and, according to authorities, left behind a note which his boyfriend shared via a Discord server after the assassination. The text of that note has not been made public yet. According to six investigators who spoke with Axios, law enforcement officials are probing local left-wing extremist organizations in connection with the murder of Kirk. One such organization, a militia group called Armed Queers Salt Lake City, deleted its social media presence immediately following Kirk’s death.

Speaking to reporters, the president suggested that numerous left-wing organizations and networks are currently being investigated, possibly even mainstream Democratic groups, although the president did not provide further details. “They are already under major investigation,” Trump warned. “A lot of the people you would traditionally see on the Left are already under investigation.”

A Widow’s Battle Cry

Several days after Kirk’s murder, his widow, Erika, appeared in a livestream video to honor her husband and address conservatives across the country. “Two days ago, my husband, Charlie, went to see the face of his Savior and his God,” Erika said late Friday. The grieving widow then issued a warning to those who contributed to her husband’s slaying and encouraged young Americans to continue Kirk’s patriotic work. “The evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done. They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith, and of God’s merciful love,” she somberly declared.

“They should all know this. If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea. You have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world. You have no idea,” Erika said forcefully. “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.”

“No one will ever forget my husband’s name, and I will make sure of it,” Erika stated, pledging to continue and expand the work of Turning Point USA, the conservative organization Kirk founded. “It will become stronger, bolder, louder, and greater than ever.” Less than 24 hours after Erika’s address, TPUSA received 18,000 new chapter requests. Previously, the organization had operated just over 10,000 chapters across universities, colleges, and high schools. By Sunday night, the number of new TPUSA chapter requests had risen to 32,000.

Tributes to Kirk’s Faith and Good Work Pour In

High-profile figures have paid tribute to Kirk in the wake of his shocking murder, with many focusing their attention on Kirk’s Christian faith and his commitment to free speech. Just days after Kirk’s death, the White House shared a video honoring Kirk and his Christian faith. In the video, Kirk cites Romans 12:2, which says, “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” He comments, “God will use all things, all things, for good for those who love Him. It’s bigger than you, I want you to remember that, it’s bigger than you. It’s bigger than me. You are here to make somebody else’s life better, the pursuit of liberty and freedom.”

Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard spoke of Kirk’s faith at a memorial event in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. “In the Book of Corinthians, Paul said, ‘Therefore, we are always of good courage and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. We are of good courage, I say, and prefer to rather be absent from the body and be home with the Lord,’” Gabbard observed. “Charlie Kirk, every single day, carried out his mission motivated by his faith in Jesus Christ and his unwavering dedication to defending our God-given freedoms enshrined in our Constitution and Bill of Rights,” she added. Gabbard also noted that leftist activists “feel that their only recourse is to commit an act of violence, to silence those who oppose them, and to intimidate and terrorize others into silence. This is the definition of terrorism.”

The vice president, a close friend of Kirk’s, hosted “The Charlie Kirk Show” on Monday, paying tribute to his fallen friend. Vance was joined by Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Taylor Budowich, White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., “Charlie Kirk Show” executive producer Andrew Kolvet, and conservative media personality Tucker Carlson. Many guests shared the influence that Kirk and TPUSA had had on their lives, while others, like Vance and Miller credited Kirk with securing Trump’s 2024 victory and helping staff the second Trump White House and craft policy.

The impact of Kirk’s death has been felt outside the political world too. Numerous National Football League (NFL), college football, and Major League Baseball (MLB) games over the weekend included a moment of silence to honor Kirk and his legacy. Coldplay frontman and singer Chris Martin asked his audience at a concert to “send love” to Kirk’s family. “Let’s raise our hands like this and send love anywhere you want to send it in the world,” Martin said. “You can send this to your brother or your sister. You can send it to the families of people who have been going through terrible stuff. You can send it to Charlie Kirk’s family.” Country music star Morgan Wallen also asked his fans to spare a thought for the Kirk family, particularly asking for prayers for Kirk’s widow, Erika. “I just wanted to let Erika Kirk know that me and my family are sending prayers her way,” Wallen said mid-concert.

In the U.K., hundreds of thousands gathered in London to celebrate Kirk and his life. Organizer Tommy Robinson said in a social media post, “A cultural revolution has begun. The future belongs to us. This one is for you Charlie Kirk.” The event included a video tribute to Kirk, who Robinson described as “one of our generation’s greatest.” Tech billionaire and former Trump administration figure Elon Musk spoke at the event via video link, calling Democrats “the party of murder.” He stated, “You see how much violence there is on the Left, with our friend Charlie Kirk getting murdered in cold blood this week, and people on the Left celebrating it openly.”

TPUSA will host a memorial event for Kirk on September 21 at the 72,200-seat State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. “Charlie Kirk’s life was a testament to faith, courage, and conviction. From his earliest days, he believed America was worth fighting for, and he dedicated every moment of his 31 years to that cause,” TPUSA wrote in an event description. “He lived with eyes fixed on eternity, grounded in the truth of God’s Word, and driven by a calling bigger than himself.”

Unity? Not So Fast…

While many Americans have celebrated Kirk’s life and work, many progressives have celebrated his death. The Charlie Kirk Data Foundation, previously known as CharliesMurderers.com, has identified over 63,000 individuals who publicly celebrated or mocked Kirk’s death, typically online. Countless leftists have been fired for their online comments celebrating or mocking Kirk’s murder. Military officers, Democratic strategists and staffers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees, high school coaches, Office Depot and Sony employees, and even a Washington Post writer are among those who have been fired for their comments on Kirk’s death. In one instance, a 19-year-old man was arrested for vandalizing a memorial to Kirk at the TPUSA headquarters in Arizona.

British rap duo Bob Vylan made headlines during a performance in Amsterdam for denigrating Kirk, mocking his death, and calling for violence against “fascists.” Singer Bobby Vylan said, during a concert, “I want to dedicate this next song to a real piece of sh** human being, pronouns: was/were. Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk, you piece of sh**.” He continued, “Sometimes you have to kick Nazis in their f***ing face… F*** the fascists, f*** the Zionists. Go find them on the street!” The U.S. State Department has previously warned that foreign nationals celebrating or mocking Kirk’s murder or encouraging political violence will potentially be denied visas or be stripped of visas already issued.

Following Kirk’s murder, the president ordered flags to be flown at half mast in honor of the patriotic activist. Several Democrats, however, have openly defied that order. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) ordered that flags be flown full staff, despite the president’s order. “Flags shall remain raised to full staff each day and should not be lowered to half-staff unless directed by the mayor,” a memo from Bass stated. Likewise, Mayor John Laesch (D) of Aurora, Illinois, demanded that flags be raised to full staff. Local firefighters continue to fly flags at half staff, even locking the flags in place.

Other Democrats have faulted the president for encouraging division and refusing to call for “unity.” Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, for example, claimed that Trump is “hurting” the nation with his response to Kirk’s murder. “We are not getting the leadership that we need to bring this country together from the White House,” he claimed. “The response to this cannot be for the government to crack down on individuals or groups, not because of violence, but because they challenge the government politically,” Buttigieg added. “Much like the overwhelming majority of Americans reject violence, an overwhelming majority of Americans, left, right, and center, do not believe the government should be cracking down on political opponents, not in the United States of America, not ever.”

Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) also blamed the president for increasing divisions in the country. While Kelly gave “a lot of credit” to figures like Cox for trying to “bring this country together,” he argued, “We have not seen that from the President of the United States, and I don’t think we can expect to.” He further accused Trump and administration officials of “trying to exploit this tragic event.”

For his part, Trump faulted left-wing extremists for hindering unity in the country. “I’d like to see” the nation “heal,” the president said. “But we’re dealing with a radical left group of lunatics, and they don’t play fair and they never did.” While the president did urge “nonviolence” in the conservative response to Kirk’s slaughter, he observed, “I’m really concerned for our country. We have a great country. We have a radical left group of lunatics out there, just absolute lunatics, and we’re going to get that problem solved. I’m only concerned for the country.”

In his closing remarks on “The Charlie Kirk Show” Monday, Vance was more pointed in his response to calls for “unity.” The vice president shared, “Psalm 133 tells us, ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head.’ Oh, how badly have I craved that precious ointment in recent days, and I believe we can have it. But first, first we must tell the truth.” He continued, “There are difficult truths we must confront in our country. One truth is that 24% of self-described ‘very liberals’ believe it is acceptable to be happy about the death of a political opponent. … Another truth is that 26% of young liberals believe political violence is sometimes justified.”

“The data is clear: people on the Left are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence. This is not a ‘both sides’ problem. If both sides have a problem, one side has a much bigger and more malignant problem, and that is the truth we must be told,” the vice president noted. He recounted a host of examples of political violence targeting conservatives over the past several years, including multiple assassination attempts against the president and instances of Republicans (including Vance) and their families being harassed. Vance declared:

“There is no unity with people who scream at children over their parents’ politics. There is no unity with someone who lies about what Charlie Kirk said in order to excuse his murder. There is no unity with someone who harasses an innocent family the day after the father of that family lost a dear friend. There is no unity with the people who celebrate Charlie Kirk’s assassination. And there is no unity with the people who fund these articles, who pay the salaries of these terrorist sympathizers who argue that Charlie Kirk, a loving husband and father, deserved a shot to the neck because he spoke words with which they disagree.”

“I am desperate for our country to be united in condemnation of the actions and the ideas that killed my friend. I want it so badly that I will tell you a difficult truth,” Vance said. “We can only have it with people who acknowledge that political violence is unacceptable and when we work to dismantle the institutions that promote violence and terrorism in our own country.”