"We have Kirk's shooter in custody," says Trump

"I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody. Essentially, somebody that was very close to him turned him in," Trump told Fox News.

"I hope he gets the death penalty," he added.

Trump further said that Kirk was like a son to him.

"[Kirk] was like a son. He started this really during what would normally be college... and it's become a movement... I've never seen young people, or any group, go to one person like they did to Charlie," he said.

Trump further told Fox News that he spoke to Kirk's family members who want to keep his nonprofit organization Turning Point USA going.

"I spoke to his wife yesterday, she's devastated. But in between the devastation, they want to keep Turning Point USA going... they think they can do it," he said.

Kirk and Turning Point USA were instrumental in securing Trump's 2024 return to the White House, including a major investment into get-out-the-vote operations in Arizona, a key battleground state that Trump flipped back from President Joe Biden, as per CNN.

Trump said that in Utah, they have a system of death penalty, which should be awarded to the shooter.

"In Utah, they have the death penalty... the Governor is very intent on the death penalty in this case, and he should be. In North Carolina, you also have it -- but we have to make sure that happens. That was a horrific crime," he said.

According to the US President, the father of the person taken into custody cooperated with investigators.

The president acknowledged he received only a short briefing prior to the interview, and said, "I'm always subject to correction, but I'm just giving you based on what I'm hearing."

Kirk was speaking at a debate at Utah Valley University when authorities say a shooter fired a single round from a rooftop, fatally striking him in the neck in an apparent targeted assassination. (ANI)