The FBI broadens its investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination, New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani scores a major endorsement, and the White House threatens Brazil after its Supreme Court sentences the “Trump of the Tropics.”
It’s Tuesday, September 16, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2 style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;">FBI Probes Larger Plot In Kirk Assassination</h2>
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Topline: As conservatives rally following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the FBI says it’s investigating radical left-wing groups for potential ties to the killer. 
Among those being investigated is the far-left pro-transgender group Armed Queers Salt Lake City. It deleted its Instagram account shortly after the shooting, but a membership form online listed its core principles, which included “the armed and militant protection of queer and trans communities,” “trans liberation,” and an “organized revolutionary movement.”
The Bureau is also investigating a number of social media accounts that seemingly displayed foreknowledge of the assassination. In one instance, a leftist X user wrote a week before Kirk’s killing: “it’d be funny if someone like Charlie Kirk got shot on September 10th.” According to FBI Director Kash Patel, suspected assassin Tyler Robinson told at least one person beforehand what he planned on doing.
What they’re saying: White House Deputy Chief Stephen Miller vowed to channel his “righteous anger” to go after “networks” of leftists in a special edition of The Charlie Kirk Show hosted by Vice President JD Vance on Monday.
“It is a vast domestic terror movement, and with God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have&#8230; throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and destroy these networks&#8230; and we will do it in Charlie’s name,” Miller <a href="https://x.com/avaricum777/status/1967627688711250054">said</a>.
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Establishment Dems Begin To Fall In Line With Mamdani</h2>
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Topline: New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul has endorsed far-left NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a sign that the Democratic Party establishment is moving behind the 33-year-old radical.
Hochul notably kept her distance from him during the New York City mayoral primary – Mamdani is an open democratic socialist and has some extremely far-left ideas, including the establishment of <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/05/us-news/socialist-nyc-mayoral-candidates-city-run-supermarket-plan-under-fire/">government-run grocery stores</a>. But Hochul’s flip could draw other prominent Democratic leaders into Mamdani’s camp.
Hochul said in an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/opinion/hochul-endorsement-mamdani.html">op-ed</a> in The New York Times that she’s backing Mamdani because of his focus on “affordability” and resisting President Donald Trump.
Step back: Mamdani is favored to be New York City’s next mayor, barring some major shakeup – so Hochul will likely have to work with him. She is also running for re-election in 2026, but is so disliked by folks in the NYC suburbs and most of upstate New York that some politicos <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/14/us-news/ny-gov-kathy-hochul-expected-to-endorse-zohran-mamdani-this-week-sources/">believe</a> she’s trying to lean harder on the urban vote, where Mamdani has strong support.
Trump weighs in: On the heels of Hochul’s endorsement, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115207991871277413">labeled</a> Mamdani the “‘Liddle’ Communist” and described his frontrunner status as a “rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City.”
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Lengthy Prison Sentence For Jair Bolsonaro Strains U.S.-Brazil Relations</h2>
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Topline: After a two-week public trial, Brazil’s five Supreme Court justices sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison after he was found guilty of an attempted coup. The Trump administration is now threatening severe consequences.
Expert opines: Andres Martinez-Fernandez, senior policy analyst for Latin America at The Heritage Foundation: “This is a case which has a lot of question marks around it, and particularly with this sentencing, which is dramatic, over 25 years, for this person who just a few years ago was occupying the top office in Brazil, is very controversial at the moment. So a lot of Congress in Brazil and others are exploring very actively the need to take action to bypass this sentencing.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in response to the ruling that the United States would “respond accordingly to this witch hunt.”
Martinez-Fernandez: “There&#8217;s a disconnect, I think, that a lot of people see, and this administration certainly sees, between the pursuit of justice and the political priorities that we see the supreme court in Brazil pursuing … and that’s what the administration is really seeking to counter, leveraging the United States&#8217; economic heft and influence in that country. But, it&#8217;s clearly going to be a very significant challenge here.”

Morning Brief: Kirk Probe Expands, Hochul Backs Socialist Mamdani & U.S. Rips Bolsonaro Sentence

Morning Brief: FBI’s Kirk Probe Widens, Hochul Backs Mamdani, U.S. Rips Bolsonaro Prison Sentence

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The FBI is looking into at least seven social media accounts and seeking to determine if anyone knew of a plot to assassinate Charlie Kirk before he was shot and killed last week, The Washington Free Beacon <a href="https://freebeacon.com/politics/exclusive-fbi-investigating-social-media-accounts-that-appeared-to-indicate-foreknowledge-of-kirk-assassination/">reported</a> on Monday, citing three sources familiar with the investigation.
The Free Beacon also published archived screenshots of some of the posts the FBI is investigating. One post mentions Kirk getting assassinated one week before the influential conservative commentator was gunned down. The X account @TallyHallAlbum wrote on September 3, “itd be funny if someone like charlie kirk got shot on september 10th LMAO.”
Another X account, @NajraGalvz, posted a day before the assassination, “Charlie kirk is coming to my college tomorrow i rlly hope someone evaporates him literally.” In a follow-up post, the X user added, “Lets just say something big will happen tomorrow.” In the X bio for @NajraGalvz, the account says it identifies as “nonbinary.” Hours after Kirk was assassinated, @NajraGalvz posted, CHARLIE KIRK GOT SHOT BRO I PROMISE I DIDNT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.”
One social media account that celebrated Kirk’s assassination uses an X handle that is nearly identical to a TikTok profile that follows the assassin’s trans-identifying roommate, Lance Twiggs, The Free Beacon reported. The X account churbum75m (SAW TYLER JUNE 30) posted after Kirk was pronounced dead, “WE F***ING DID IT.” Churbum75m is also on TikTok, following Twiggs, who has 839 followers.
The Free Beacon reported that in a video posted on TikTok, another social media account said that “charles james kirk … does not know what’s coming tomorrow. be ready … this isn&#8217;t a threat it&#8217;s a promise.”
The posts and some of the accounts that the FBI is looking into were all deleted within days of Kirk’s assassination. The Feds are also investigating whether any pro-transgender groups online knew about plans to kill Kirk in advance, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/14/us-news/charlie-kirk-assassination-investigation-widens-to-probe-pro-trans-online-groups/">reported</a>. The FBI probe is reportedly looking into groups on the online gaming platform, Steam, along with leftist groups in Utah.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday that DNA found on the towel that was wrapped around the suspected assassin’s rifle matches the DNA of Tyler Robinson, who was arrested on Friday. DNA found on a screwdriver on the roof of a campus building also matches Robinson’s DNA, according to Patel.
The suspected assassin’s roommate, who appears to be in a romantic relationship with Robinson, is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/suspected-charlie-kirk-killer-reportedly-lived-with-trans-identifying-partner?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=12&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Suspected+Charlie+Kirk+Killer+Reportedly+Lived+With+Trans-Identifying+Partner">fully cooperating</a> with the FBI as investigators continue to probe the assassination, Fox News reported over the weekend. According to authorities, Robinson expressed his dislike of Kirk at a family dinner and also mentioned that Kirk was scheduled to speak at Utah Valley University before the conservative was assassinated.
Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox told The Wall Street Journal that it’s become “very clear” to investigators that Robinson was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”

FBI Investigating Online Posts For Possible Foreknowledge Of Kirk Assassination

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FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday morning that DNA linked to the weapon believed to have been used to assassinate Charlie Kirk last week matches that of the suspected killer. 
Patel made the announcement during an interview with “Fox &amp; Friends,” where he gave an update on the investigation into Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University. Patel said that DNA taken from a towel wrapped around the rifle believed to have been used to shoot Kirk matched that of Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man who has been arrested for killing Kirk. 
“I can report today that the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA on the screwdriver are positively processed for the suspect in custody,” Patel said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨BREAKING: FBI Director Kash Patel confirms DNA from the towel wrapped around the suspected assassination weapon — and from a screwdriver left on the UVU rooftop — both match the suspect already in custody. <a href="https://t.co/1PNuhNrIlW">pic.twitter.com/1PNuhNrIlW</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1967555391056642307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The screwdriver was found on the roof of the Utah Valley University building, where investigators say that Robinson fired a single bullet that killed Kirk as he was holding a campus event. Video footage released by law enforcement shows a man running across the roof of the building shortly after shots were fired. 
The rifle used in the fatal shooting was found hidden in the woods a short distance from campus. Ammunition was found with inscriptions related to anti-fascist ideology.  
“My job as FBI director is not to speak to motive, it’s to speak to the facts. And that’s what I’m going to do. His family has collectively told investigators that he subscribed to left-wing ideology and even more so in these last couple of years,” Patel added. 
Patel said that investigators had a text message where Robinson “claimed that he had an opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and he was going to do it, because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for.”
When asked why the message was sent to the person who didn’t take action, Patel said that the investigation was ongoing and that they didn’t have an answer yet. 
Patel also confirmed that Robinson was not cooperating with law enforcement. Investigators previously said that he admitted to his father that he had shot Kirk and peacefully turned himself in at the urging of his father and a family friend. Utah Governor Spencer Cox has said that the death penalty will be pursued if Robinson is convicted.

FBI director Kash Patel / Mugshot: Tyler Robinson

FBI Links Suspect’s DNA To Kirk Assassination Weapon

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The FBI arrested two men over the weekend after they allegedly placed an incendiary device under a local FOX affiliate&#8217;s vehicle in Utah. 
The device was discovered beneath a FOX 13 Salt Lake City news vehicle in the suburb of Magna on Friday, and investigators determined that it failed to detonate after being lit. The suspects are Adeeb Nasir, 58, and Adil Justice Ahmed Nasir, 31. The men were booked into Salt Lake County Jail on Sunday and are being held without bail. 
They were charged with threat of terrorism, possessing weapons of mass destruction, aggravated arson, and possessing explosive devices. Adeeb Nasir was born in Pakistan and is an American citizen, <a href="https://iml.saltlakecounty.gov/IML">according</a> to his booking information. The name “Eddie Nash” is listed as an alias. 
&#8220;Due to the nature of the device and its placement, this incident constituted a significant threat to public safety,&#8221; Unified Fire Authority Investigations officer Jeffrey David Nelson said in an affidavit, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/salt-lake-city-fox-13-vehicle-targeted-incendiary-device/">according</a> to CBS News. 
During a raid of the suspects’ home on Saturday, the FBI, Salt Lake City Police Department, and the bomb squad, law enforcement &#8220;observed additional contraband and evidence of crimes outside the scope of the original warrant, to include firearms and firearm-related items, explosives and explosive-related components, illegal narcotics and associated paraphernalia,” <a href="https://www.fox13now.com/news/crime/fbi-arrests-2-after-incendiary-device-left-under-fox-13-news-vehicle">according</a> to Fox13. 
Neither man was supposed to own firearms due to previous drug use, according to court orders. 
&#8220;The FBI discovered what appeared to be potentially hazardous materials that could pose a threat to public safety,&#8221; the FBI, which is leading the investigation, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/utah-man-arrested-after-explosive-device-found-news/story?id=125564512">told</a> ABC News. 
FOX 13 Station Manager Leona Wood said that the outlet was &#8220;working closely with law enforcement and our risk management team, with the safety of our employees as our top priority.&#8221;
The incendiary device was found about 47 miles away from Orem, Utah, where conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Wednesday. Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested and is expected to face charges of aggravated murder and felony discharge of a firearm. Robinson&#8217;s arrest was announced Friday by FBI Director Kash Patel and Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox.

Political Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead At Utah Valley University

FBI Arrests Two After Bomb Found Under News Vehicle Near Utah Site Of Charlie Kirk Assassination

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Federal and state officials in Utah revealed on Friday morning that they closed in on Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man suspected of assassinating Charlie Kirk, after a family friend reached out to law enforcement.
FBI Director Kash Patel said that authorities “made historic progress for Charlie” after capturing the suspected assassin in just 33 hours. Patel then provided a timeline of the FBI’s response immediately after Kirk was gunned down and how the search for the alleged assassin came to a close.
<h2>Wednesday, September 10</h2>
<h3>11:52 a.m. MT — Suspect Arrives Near Campus</h3>
Authorities said video showed the suspected assassin driving near campus in a gray Dodge Challenger. One of Robinson’s family members reportedly told investigators that Robinson drove a gray Dodge Challenger. The suspect then walked onto campus and climbed up the stairwells to a roof adjacent to the courtyard where Kirk was speaking, according to authorities.
<h3>12:23 p.m. — Charlie Kirk Shot</h3>
Authorities believe that a single shot was fired from the roof of a building around 200 yards from where Kirk was debating students during one of his signature question and answer sessions.
<h3>12:39 p.m. — The First FBI Agents Arrive, Secure Scene</h3>
Shortly after the FBI took over the investigation, the agency immediately began utilizing assets to transport “personnel, specialty technicians, [and] hostage rescue teams,” Patel said, adding that forensic evidence was taken to FBI laboratories at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia and other laboratories.
<h3>2:40 p.m. — President Trump Announces That Kirk Has Died</h3>
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&#8220;The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his… <a href="https://t.co/aM8Pz3TKml">pic.twitter.com/aM8Pz3TKml</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1965880535659470994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<h3>5:20 p.m. — Person Of Interest Questioned</h3>
Patel said a person of interest was questioned at 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday. He posted at 5:21 p.m. that the “subject for the horrific shooting” was in custody, but less than two hours later, the FBI director posted an update, saying, “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement.” Two subjects were questioned by authorities on Wednesday in connection with the assassination before they were both released.
<h2>Thursday, September 11</h2>
<h3>10:00 a.m. — FBI Releases First Photos Of Suspected Assassin</h3>
<h3>10:45 a.m. — FBI Offers $100,000 Reward For Info Leading To Arrest Of Suspect</h3>
<h3>5:30 p.m. — Patel And Deputy Director Dan Bongino Arrive In Utah</h3>
Patel said that he was able to evaluate &#8220;the large crime scene” at Utah Valley University with investigators, where he walked &#8220;through the steps that the suspect took to learn more about what was needed … to create a full picture for the FBI and leadership back in Washington. The FBI director added that investigators are continuing to look at forensic evidence “as we collect it.”
The public also flooded the FBI with around 7,000 leads on Thursday.
<h3>8:00 p.m. — FBI Releases More Images, Video Of Suspected Assassin Fleeing Scene</h3>
The video showed the suspect jumping off the roof from where the single shot that killed Kirk was fired. Images released by the FBI showed a man in an American flag shirt, a hat, and sunglasses walking up a stairwell.
<h3>10:00 p.m. — Tyler Robinson Arrested In Southern Utah</h3>
Officials said that Robinson was turned in after a family member reached out to a friend about the 22-year-old, who allegedly confessed or implied that he had assassinated Kirk. The New York Post and The Daily Mail reported that the suspect admitted to the assassination to his father. Robinson reportedly told his father that he wanted to kill himself when his father urged him to turn himself over to the authorities.
Robinson’s father convinced his son to talk to their youth minister, who is also a U.S. Marshal, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/12/us-news/tyler-robinson-full-of-hate-before-charlie-kirk-shooting-says-family-friends/">reported</a>. The youth minister then called the FBI, and shortly after, agents took Robinson into custody.

TIMELINE: How Authorities Circled In On Suspected Assassin Tyler Robinson

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Utah officials and the FBI confirmed during a press conference on Friday morning that the man suspected of assassinating conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was taken into custody on Thursday night.
Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox said at a press conference that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested after allegedly confessing or implying to a family member that he had assassinated Kirk. Robinson also recently told a family member of his dislike of Kirk, the governor said. Cox added that a family member of Robinson’s told investigators that the suspected assassin had become more political in recent years, and that Robinson mentioned at a recent dinner that Kirk was scheduled to speak at Utah Valley University.
“They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had,” the governor added. “The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate.”
Robinson was taken into custody at around 10:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. One of Robinson’s family members reached out to a family friend about the 22-year-old who allegedly confessed or implied that he had assassinated Kirk. The information “was then relayed” to authorities, according to Cox. Robinson lived with his family in Washington County in southwest Utah and was not a student at Utah Valley University.
Authorities said campus video showed the suspected assassin arriving at Utah Valley University in a gray Dodge Challenger before Kirk’s killing, and a family member later confirmed to investigators that Robinson owned the same type of car.
A roommate of Robinson also spoke with investigators and allowed them to review messages from the suspect that were sent via the online platform Discord. Messages sent from “Tyler” allegedly discussed retrieving a rifle from a “drop point” and “leaving the rifle in a bush,” Cox said. Authorities said they found a bolt-action rifle with a scope attached in a bush in a wooded area near where Kirk was assassinated. Another message from “Tyler” mentioned that he had changed outfits, the governor added.
Cox said that ammunition from the rifle that authorities believe the suspected assassin used to kill Kirk was engraved with multiple phrases, including “Notices Bulges OwO what&#8217;s this?” (a furry culture meme), “^&gt;VVV” (the calldown code for a 500kg bomb in the game Helldivers 2), “Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao” (song of the Italian antifascist resistance), “If you read this you are gay LMAO,” and “Hey fascist! Catch!” It does not appear that the suspected assassin made any reference to transgender ideology, as was previously stated in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ammunition-from-charlie-kirk-assassination-was-engraved-with-transgender-and-anti-fascist-ideology">reports</a> citing internal government documents.
FBI Director Patel and Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith thanked the public for its help in catching the suspected assassin. Smith added that the success of law enforcement could not have been achieved without the public’s prayers, patience, and support.
“That is what we needed to get through this,” he said.
Patel added that the investigation remains ongoing, and Governor Cox said that charging documents will likely be filed next week. Utah is one of the few states that still has the death penalty. Both Cox and President Donald Trump have called for Kirk’s assassin to be executed after he is convicted.

Mugshot: Tyler Robinson

Authorities Arrest, Identify Suspected Charlie Kirk Assassin

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Governor Spencer Cox (R-UT) vowed to seek the death penalty in the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk — and called on members of the public to aid in the manhunt that has already gone on for more than 24 hours.
The call came during a press conference that took place late Thursday evening — a press conference that was initially scheduled for earlier in the day, but was delayed at the last minute due to &#8220;rapid developments&#8221; in the case. &#8220;Due to the rapid developments in our investigation, we will suspend this,&#8221; the Utah Department of Public Safety announced via email.
The press conference began about twenty minutes later than the scheduled start time of 7:30 p.m. local time, and officials shared video of the suspect as he ran from his perch and ultimately climbed over the edge of the roof of the building, hanging from the side before jumping to the ground.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨BREAKING: Officials release new footage of Charlie Kirk&#8217;s assassin during tonight&#8217;s press conference: <a href="https://t.co/ugqmG9Vuao">pic.twitter.com/ugqmG9Vuao</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1966320915651666263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
They called on members of the public to look at identifiable items of clothing on the suspect to hopefully assist officials as they try to find the individual responsible for Kirk&#8217;s murder. They also announced that they had already interviewed more than 200 people and had received thousands of tips from the public, more than they had seen in any case since the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 BREAKING: 7,000 LEADS have been received by the FBI to help find the kiIIer of Charlie Kirk
FBI and Utah DPS have already conducted over **200** interviews
ALL resources are being utilized, and NO expense is being spared.
CHARLIE&#8217;S KlLLER WILL BE FOUND! <a href="https://t.co/N38N7Lc6ei">pic.twitter.com/N38N7Lc6ei</a>
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1966321375158956505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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DPS asked for digital tips and videos from anyone who might have footage from the Wednesday event, and vowed to capture the person responsible. Governor Spencer Cox (R-UT) also promised that the state planned to seek the death penalty once the suspect was apprehended and tried.
Investigators began the manhunt within moments of the fatal shooting that took place on Wednesday during a campus event at Utah Valley University, and photos of a &#8220;person of interest&#8221; in the case were released to the public on Thursday afternoon. The photos showed a male figure wearing an American flag t-shirt, sunglasses, and a hat — and authorities said they believed he&#8217;d &#8220;blended in well with a college institution&#8221; and was likely around the same age as some of those present for Kirk&#8217;s event.
The FBI offered a reward of $100,000 to anyone who could provide information that led to the shooter&#8217;s arrest.
&#8220;The shooting is believed to be a targeted attack. The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard,&#8221; the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement prior to the press conference. &#8220;Any additional clarifications cannot be provided to protect the integrity of our investigation.&#8221;

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Governor Vows To Seek Death Penalty In Kirk Assassination, Calls On Public To Aid In Manhunt

FBI Seeks Help Following Charlie Kirk's Assassination

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Editor&#8217;s Note: On Friday, law enforcement authorities revealed what was inscribed on the bullets in the suspected assassin&#8217;s rifle. Contrary to a law enforcement bulletin reported by numerous outlets on Thursday, the inscriptions did not include any references to &#8220;transgender ideology.&#8221;
The inscriptions revealed on Friday, along with the identity of the captured suspect, were: &#8220;Hey Fascist! Catch&#8221;; the symbols &#8220;^&gt;VVV&#8221;; &#8220;If you read this you are gay LMAO&#8221;; and &#8220;Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao,&#8221; an apparent reference to an Italian folksong. The article below reads as it was originally published.
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Investigators found ammunition inside the .30 caliber bolt action rifle believed to have been used in the Charlie Kirk assassination, with government documents reported on by both <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/charlie-kirk-shot/card/ammunition-in-kirk-shooting-engraved-with-transgender-antifascist-ideology-sources-pdymd1sXXMSlVRhpvR4b">The Wall Street Journal</a> and conservative commentator <a href="https://x.com/scrowder/status/1966118431511433267">Steven Crowder</a> saying that unused ammunition was engraved with “transgender and anti-fascist ideology.&#8221;
The Department of Justice did not confirm the reports, telling The Daily Wire that the investigation is still ongoing, with investigators analyzing the suspected assassin&#8217;s rifle and the ammunition.
Crowder said that his team received an email from an Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms officer on Thursday morning with what appeared to be an internal law enforcement message. The Wall Street Journal also reported that it had reviewed an internal law enforcement bulletin that discussed transgender and antifascist ideology on ammunition.
&#8220;All cartridges have engraved wording on them expressing transgender and anti-fascist ideology,&#8221; according to the email that Crowder posted on X. &#8220;An emergency trace has been submitted, and ATF SLC is working leads generated by the trace. The firearm and ammunition have been taken by the FBI for DNA analysis and fingerprint impressions.&#8221;
Kirk was answering an audience question on transgender mass shooters seconds before he was assassinated. It was reported last week that the Department of Justice is considering moves to ban guns for individuals who believe they are transgender.
The reported law enforcement message also stated that the rifle that was recovered is &#8220;an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle,&#8221; adding that it was &#8220;wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the campus.&#8221; A <a href="https://x.com/nypost/status/1966160408718274982">photo</a> of what officials believe to be the assassin&#8217;s rifle was published by The New York Post.
Parts of the reported law enforcement email line up with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-charlie-kirk-shot-at-utah-campus-event?contentProgram=Charlie%20Kirk%20Assassinated%20At%20Utah%20College%20Event%2C%20Dead%20at%2031&amp;contentType=Post&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">updates</a> provided by the Utah Department of Public Safety and FBI officials on Thursday morning.
Robert Bohls, the special agent in charge of the FBI&#8217;s Salt Lake City field office, said at a press conference that authorities believe they have recovered the suspected assassin&#8217;s &#8220;high-powered bolt-action rifle,&#8221; adding that the rifle was found &#8220;in a wooded area.&#8221;
Utah DPS Commissioner Beau Mason added that authorities have &#8220;good video footage&#8221; of the suspected assassin, but they are holding off on releasing the video footage as they &#8220;work through some technologies and ways to identify this individual.&#8221; The suspect is believed to have shot Kirk from a perch on the roof of an adjacent building to where the conservative commentator was speaking in a courtyard on campus. Authorities believe the suspect jumped off the roof and fled off campus and into a neighborhood after the assassination. Mason said the suspected assassin appeared to be &#8220;of college age.&#8221;
The FBI said on Wednesday night that two subjects who were detained and questioned in connection with the assassination were released after &#8220;law enforcement found no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals.” FBI Director Kash Patel said earlier on Wednesday that the suspected assassin had been taken into custody. He later said, “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues, and we will continue to release information in the interest of transparency.”

Here’s What Was Inscribed On Ammo In Gun Authorities Say Was Used To Assassinate Charlie Kirk

Steven Crowder

Transgender

Wall Street Journal

State and federal authorities released a joint update on Wednesday night on the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, saying that two people had been detained for questioning and later released.
In a <a href="https://mailchi.mp/utah/for-immediate-release-updates-on-charlie-kirk-shooting-at-uvu?e=98970b8875">press release</a> issued by the Utah Department of Public Safety and the <a href="https://x.com/FBISaltLakeCity/status/1965961274757468603">FBI</a>, authorities said that George Zinn and Zachariah Qureshi had been taken into custody as suspects and questioned, but law enforcement found &#8220;no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals.&#8221; The statement added, &#8220;There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter.&#8221;
&#8220;The shooting is believed to be a targeted attack. The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard. Any additional clarifications cannot be provided to protect the integrity of our investigation,&#8221; authorities said.
Zinn, a 71-year-old man, is known in the Salt Lake City area for disrupting political events and has a criminal history dating back to the 1980s, The Salt Lake Tribune <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/09/10/george-zinn-what-we-know-about-man/">reported</a>. In 2013, Zinn was charged with threatening to place bombs at the finish line of the Salt Lake City marathon. Zinn agreed to a plea deal in that case and was sentenced to probation. However, after he failed to meet the conditions of his probation, he was ordered to spend a year in jail, with credit for time served, according to the Tribune. Zinn was arrested again in 2019 after a protest in downtown Salt Lake City turned violent.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told the Tribune on Wednesday that Zinn leaned libertarian and would “give me a hard time for being a Dem.” He added that at “almost every political event you can think of, there was always George somewhere in the background, listening.”
The FBI began <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-to-immediately-investigate-shooting-of-charlie-kirk-at-utah-campus?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Feds+To+Take+Over+Investigation+Of+Charlie+Kirk+Shooting">investigating</a> shortly after Kirk was shot. The two subjects questioned by the FBI were released after FBI Director Kash Patel said earlier on Wednesday that the suspected assassin had been taken into custody. Patel later <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1965928054712316363">said</a>, &#8220;The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency.&#8221;
According to officials, the Utah Valley University Police Department had six officers working the Kirk event, which was in addition to Kirk&#8217;s security detail. Around 3,000 people were in attendance to listen to Kirk when a gunman fired a single shot from the roof of a building near where Kirk was speaking at approximately 12:20 p.m. local time, according to authorities. Kirk was taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead &#8220;hours later.&#8221;
The assassin is <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/charlie-kirk-shot/card/fatal-shot-may-have-come-from-building-200-yards-from-kirk-university-says-ARVsET7iomEWhWNTPkjF?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAg4rD9CJApLW0OvJR8CqO52_pp1WVJmhMszQOS5PI5Cu5doVsgyXfH_IwXWiFw%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68c2b931&amp;gaa_sig=VzRj4Iqq75TbVr0S2H49ff2ndHK68e8rU9zIINkAl7ZG4QlWteWUMcTvc8iGQOoUwVpoQlpgImVIZX7YNhcRhQ%3D%3D">believed</a> to have fired from the Losee Center building, which was at least 200 yards away from where Kirk was speaking in a courtyard on campus. Law enforcement has not released a description of the suspected assassin, other than saying the suspect was &#8220;dressed in all dark clothing.&#8221;
The FBI <a href="https://x.com/FBI/status/1965962302458417304">urged</a> the public to send in any information about the assassination to a <a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/digitalmedia/f4507712a3b2893">tip line</a>.

Charlie Kirk Assassination: Authorities Release Update On Questioned ‘Suspects’ As Manhunt Continues

Charlie Kirk Assassination: Authorities Release Update On Questioned 'Suspects' As Manhunt Continues

The Justice Department is investigating the shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while hosting one of his signature events at the college campus in Orem, Utah. According to sources at the event, Kirk appeared to be hit in the neck area by a single gunshot. He was hospitalized. His condition is unknown.
Shortly after the shooting, FBI Director Kash Patel said that federal agents were en route to the scene. 
“We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected,” Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1965851035467132940">posted</a>. “Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1965851035467132940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Within ten minutes of Patel’s post, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that FBI and ATF agents were at the campus. 
“FBI and ATF agents are on the scene. PRAY FOR CHARLIE,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. 
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department would be investigating the attack. 
“Praying for my friend Charlie Kirk during this difficult time. The Department is actively investigating this senseless act of violence,” Blanche said. 
A spokeswoman for the university said that the suspect fired at Kirk from about 200 yards away from a building called the Losee Center, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09/10/us/charlie-kirk-shot-utah">reported</a>. The shooter remains at large, according to multiple reports. 
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said that he was being briefed on “the violence directed at Charlie Kirk during his visit to Utah Valley University today.”
“Those responsible will be held fully accountable. Violence has no place in our public life. Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act. Our prayers are with Charlie, his family, and all those affected,” Cox added.

Press conference at White House

Feds To Take Over Investigation Of Charlie Kirk Shooting

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)

Department of Justice

Pam Bondi

The FBI took a trove of documents, three computers, and two iPhones from former National Security Adviser John Bolton&#8217;s home during a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-raids-home-of-former-trump-national-security-adviser-john-bolton?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=FBI+Raids+Home+Of+Former+Trump+National+Security+Adviser+John+Bolton">raid</a> on August 22, according to court records made public on Thursday.
Among the boxes of documents were “typed documents in folders labeled ‘Trump I – IV&#8217;” and a white binder that was labeled, “statements and reflections to allied strikes,” the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/04/us-news/heres-what-fbi-agents-took-from-john-boltons-house-in-raid-and-what-charges-he-could-face/">reported</a>. The FBI raided Bolton&#8217;s home as part of an investigation over allegations that Bolton illegally snuck out national security files from the White House during President Donald Trump&#8217;s first term.
The records also revealed that the former national security adviser, who is now a vocal Trump critic, is being investigated for allegedly violating two sections of the Espionage Act of 1917, according to the Post. While Bolton hasn&#8217;t been charged with any crime, if the feds go after him on those two charges, he could face up to 25 years in prison.
Federal agents also swiped hard drives and USB drives during the raid, and agents were allowed to make Bolton unlock any devices, per the search warrant, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/04/politics/bolton-search-fbi-court-documents">reported</a>. According to previous court records, the feds are looking into whether Bolton revealed any sensitive national security information about Trump&#8217;s foreign policy during the president&#8217;s first term. After a back-and-forth with Trump officials, Bolton removed classified information from his book manuscript before he published it, according to court records.
Bolton&#8217;s book, &#8220;The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,&#8221; promises &#8220;the most comprehensive and substantial account of the Trump Administration.&#8221; The book was published in June 2020, less than a year after Trump fired Bolton as National Security Adviser. The Trump administration argued that Bolton&#8217;s book endangered national security.
FBI officials told the Post that an investigation into Bolton&#8217;s handling of sensitive material was paused when former President Joe Biden entered office in 2021, and FBI Director Kash Patel reopened the investigation in February.
“The [Biden administration] had probable cause to know that he had taken material that was detrimental to the national security of the United States, and they made no effort to retrieve it,” a senior FBI official said.
“That was a friendly administration to [Bolton],” the official added. “They kept bashing [Trump] the entire time for ‘weaponizing law enforcement,’ and they — by politically stopping a righteous investigation — are the ones who weaponized law enforcement.”
Bolton has not commented on the raid, but he has continued to criticize Trump&#8217;s foreign policy moves. Following the raid, President Trump claimed that he knew &#8220;nothing about it.&#8221;
“I saw it on television this morning. I’m not a fan of John Bolton. He’s a real … lowlife,” Trump said. “He’s not a smart guy. But he could be a very unpatriotic guy … we’re going to find out. I know nothing about it.&#8221;

FBI Search House Of Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton

Court Records Reveal What Was Taken From John Bolton’s Home During FBI Raid

Donald Trump

John Bolton

Trump Administration

The Justice Department announced Wednesday a “first-of-its-kind” indictment against 22 Chinese nationals and three Americans for allegedly engaging in an international drug trafficking scheme targeting the United States. 
An indictment handed down Wednesday from a federal grand jury in Ohio takes aim at dozens of defendants and four Chinese companies for a plot to ship drug-cutting agents, used to dilute the product and increase its volume to boost profits, from China into America. All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally.
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. 
Prosecutors say that the companies used a number of Chinese nationals “located overseas” to negotiate for payments for illegal cutting agents to drug traffickers in Ohio. Cutting agents are often added to illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, and meth. 
The Chinese companies targeted include Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Guangzhou Wanjiang Biotechnology Company, Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Company, and Hebei Feilaimi Technology Company. 
The Americans charged in the operation include 39-year-old Eric Michael Payne of Ohio and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Auriyon Tresan Rayford. Ciandrea Bryne Davis of Atlanta was also charged for her alleged role in using cryptocurrency to pay Chinese nationals associated with companies for the drug-cutting agents. 
Payne is accused of purchasing several kilogram shipments of cutting agents from Chinese companies posing as legitimate pharmacies. He and the other Americans allegedly purchased at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl agents since 2022 that could be used in up to 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture sold on the streets. 
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
The Chinese defendants were listed as Lihui Zhao, [name unknown], Shanhong Jiang, Yan Yang, Fengdi Zhang, Dehui Xia, Xing Wu Chen, Qing Lin Wang, Xiaojun Huang, Meixiang Yao, Zhanpeng Huang, Yuqing Feng, Dongjing Sun, Chengqi Nong, Tiduo Wei, Zhisong Nie, Jichao Zhu, Zhengzhe Yin, Changgen Du, Hongfei Wang, Huatao Yao, and Xuening Gao.

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