Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) and Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) are versatile shrubs native to North Carolina. I have seen many of the red varieties, while black varieties have never shown up in my path. They are similar however, with obviously, the main difference, the color of the berries. In addition, the red has a more upright and slender shape preferring moist soil, while the black are more tolerant of various soil conditions. The berries of the black varieties usually drop in summer while the berries of the red varieties last until winter. Otherwise the two types are much alike. The flowers, of course, come in the spring and with the help of pollinators, make these small berries.
In the wildlife world, all kinds of birds just dig these plant’s berries, and so do some mammals. Yes, deer will eat Chokeberry shrubs, especially in the winter when their food supply is a little scarce. The berries of this shrub are very astringent so not all berry-loving animals can deal with the taste. If you pick any Chokeberries off the shrubs in your yard and eat them, they will make you pucker. They also could make you feel like you are choking because of their sour, dry qualities. Which brings me to the history of the Chokeberry.
Native American tribes used the berry in a number of ways as a food source and a food preservative. As Europeans encountered new plants, they took them home to various countries where they used them as ornamental plants. Over time they developed cultivars that were easier on the tastebuds and digestive system. In the 20th century, the Russians even used them to make wine. This was likely the “Aronia melencarpa” varieties which can be processed for all kinds of foodie type things.
The Chokeberry is high in antioxidants and flavanoides, so a lot of research is being done on these plants which usually aren’t the first choice for planting by homeowners. I’m told you can make jams out of Chokeberries. Check for varieties that will aid in making jams and jellies if you are so inclined. Black Chokeberries varieties “Viking,” “Nero,” “Autumn Magic” will work. When it comes to red Chokeberries, “Brilliantissima” is the one to look for. You have to cook them with a sweetener- boil and mash and then mix with other fruits to get around the bitterness. You can find them in bulk from Amazon under the name of Aronia berries. They are also sold at some specialty retailers. I must say, I have never had Chokeberry jam, nor do I ever remember anyone mentioning it on the show.
Plant your Chokeberry by using a sharp shovel. Anne Clapp and Rufus always recommend that. Dig a hole that is at least twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Place your shrub in the hole, gently spreading out the roots, and then backfill to ground level and water well. To get your plant off to a good start, incorporate some organic matter in the soil, and cover the root zone with a layer of mulch to help keep the soil cool and moist.
The Chokeberry can be an attractive plant. I have noticed however, that a single specimen doesn’t work well. Since it often looks a little leggy over time, plant in mass for a better effect. Just don’t plant a bunch of them thinking you are going to make jam every year. That seems like a lot of trouble unless you can’t figure out any other way to pucker!
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Joe Gibbs Racing completed a clean sweep of the first round in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as Christopher Bell charged to a victory Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Bell went from fourth to first on the final restart and led the last four laps at the 0.533-mile oval, ending a 24-race winless streak with his fourth victory of the season.
“It wasn’t pretty there at the end, but we got her done,” said Bell, who led only 12 laps in his 13th career victory. “We just know that any given week, it could be us, and it hasn’t been for a long time. But Bristol, baby, tonight it’s us.”
“Just so excited about the start to the playoffs,” team owner Joe Gibbs said.
Bell finished 0.343 seconds ahead of Brad Keselowski, who was trying to end a 51-race winless streak.
“Just the story of our season,” Keselowski said. “Just a 50-50 shot on the restart, and I got the lane that couldn’t launch. Just frustrating. We had a great car, great strategy and on the last restart, we just rolled the dice and didn’t get anything good.”
Zane Smith finished third, followed by Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano.
There were a season-high 14 caution flags for 137 laps as drivers and teams struggled to get a handle on a new right-side tire with excessive wear that required more pit stops.
The playoff drama spiked with 40 laps remaining when a fire erupted under Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford. His team was able to extinguish the flames, but Cindric lost several laps in the pits and re-emerged outside the top 30.
His 30th-place finish still was good enough for the 12th and final transfer spot into the second round.
“Moving on,” Cindric said after finishing 30th. “I believe in this team. I believe in myself. I have not been driving as well as I am now in the Cup Series.”
Bowman ran as high as second after rebounding from a spin on the 100th lap. He would have bumped Cindric with a victory but finished eighth and came up 10 points short of advancing.
“I don’t think you can really point at something that cost us,” said Bowman, who benefited from a pit crew overhaul after sufferin through some disastrous stops in the past two races. “Our back was against the wall coming in here. We knew it was going to be a tough thing to do.”
Seeking his first Cup victory, Ty Gibbs led a race-high 201 of 500 laps but bungled while trying to reach the pits for his final green-flag stop, losing major time in his No. 54 Toyota.
First out
With smoke billowing from the cockpit and flames shooting out from his right-front tire, Berry made an eye-catching exit as the first driver eliminated. The Wood Brothers Racing driver qualified 10th and ran as high as third before a fire erupted on his No. 21 Ford.
“Man, just so disappointing,” Berry said. “That was going to be a lot of fun. We were moving forward. It’s been a tough couple of weeks, but it hasn’t been because of performance. We executed well and ran well, just haven’t had the finishes.”
Berry, whose playoff debut began with a crash on the first lap of the Southern 500, finished last in all three races of the first round. “I don’t think you could ever script three last-place finishes in the ways that we’ve gotten them,” he said.
Uncharacteristic outburst
Bell is typically low-key, but the Joe Gibbs Racing driver blasted his team and its strategy with a vulgarity-laced tirade after finishing seventh in the prior race at Gateway. Bell, who is winless in 24 races and without a top five since July, said he was frustrated after watching teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe win the first two races of the playoffs.
“If I was consistently leading laps and in position to win, then I would never have been frustrated,” Bell said. “But the fact of the matter is I haven’t been in position to win races, I haven’t led laps. My teammates are leading it seems like almost every lap, and they’re getting the results. It’s less about winning races and more about being in position to do well, and we haven’t had that.”
Up next
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs will open the second round Sunday, Sept. 21 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It’s the first Cup race at the 1.058-mile oval since June 2024 and the first playoff race in Loudon, New Hampshire, since September 2017.
One of the Most-Loved Musicals of All Time! For 65 years, The Sound of Music has been one of our “favorite things.” With its timeless story and irresistibly charming score, this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic isn’t just meant to be enjoyed – it’s meant to be shared. Now, a critically acclaimed North American tour brings the cherished musical to stages across the country to teach a new generation to sing.
Listen just after 8a.m. for Big Jim’s Fast Facts to win!
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Gio Lopez threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, freshman Demon June had 148 rushing yards and a touchdown, and North Carolina beat Richmond 41-6 on Saturday for its first home win of the Bill Belichick era.
Both passing touchdowns went to Jordan Shipp, who caught four passes for 52 yards.
Lopez went 10 of 18 for 119 yards and also threw an interception.
North Carolina’s defense was no match for the Spiders (1-2), who gained just 199 total yards. The Spiders also committed three turnovers, including a fumble that Makai Gbayor returned for a 62-yard touchdown.
The Tar Heels scored on their first four possessions and outgained Richmond 193-58 in the opening half to grab a 20-3 lead.
Hoping to regain momentum, Richmond recovered a surprise onside kick to begin the second half. The Spiders took their subsequent drive all the way down to the 1, where Kyle Wickersham was stuffed on a fourth down run.
Wickersham was 6 of 8 through the air for 47 yards.
THE TAKEAWAY
Richmond: The Spiders didn’t record a first down until early in the second quarter and managed just 199 total yards.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels authored their most complete performance under Belichick, scoring the first 20 points and never looking back.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel declared online that “the subject” in the killing was in custody. The shooter was not. The two men who had been detained were quickly released, and Utah officials acknowledged that the gunman remained at large.
The false assurance was more than a slip. It spotlighted the high-stakes uncertainty surrounding Patel’s leadership of the bureau when its credibility — and his own — are under extraordinary pressure.
Patel now approaches congressional oversight hearings this coming week facing not just questions about that investigation but broader doubts about whether he can stabilize a federal law enforcement agency fragmented by political fights and internal upheaval.
Democrats are poised to press Patel on a purge of senior executives that has prompted a lawsuit, his pursuit of President Donald Trump’s grievances long after the Russia investigation ended, and a realignment of resources that has prioritized the fight against illegal immigration and street crime even though the agency has for decades been defined by its work on complicated threats like counterintelligence and public corruption.
That’s in addition to questions about the handling of files from the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case, the addition of a co-deputy director to serve alongside Dan Bongino, and the use of polygraphs on some agents in recent months to identify sources of leaks. Republicans, meanwhile, are likely to rally to his defense or redirect the spotlight toward the bureau’s critics.
The hearings will offer Patel his most consequential stage yet, and perhaps the clearest test of whether he can convince the country that the FBI, under his watch, can avoid compounding its mistakes in a time of political violence and deepening distrust.
“Because of the skepticism that some members of the Senate have had and still have, it’s extremely important that he perform very well at these oversight hearings” on Tuesday and Wednesday, said Gregory Brower, a former FBI executive who served as its top congressional affairs official.
The FBI declined to comment about Patel’s coming testimony to the committee.
He claimed the subject was ‘in custody’
Kirk’s killing was always going to be a closely scrutinized investigation, not only because it was the latest burst of political violence inside the United States but also because of Kirk’s friendships with Trump, Patel and other administration figures and allies.
While agents from Salt Lake City investigated, Patel’s account on the social media platform X posted that “the subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody.” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said at a near-contemporaneous news conference that “Whoever did this, we will find you,” suggesting authorities were still searching. Patel soon after posted that the person in custody had been released.
“That does not deliver the message that you want the public to hear,” said Chris O’Leary, a retired FBI counterterrorism executive. “It had the opposite effect. People start to wonder what is going on. This looks like the Keystone Cops and it continues to get worse.”
The next day, a scheduled afternoon news conference was canceled for “rapid developments” as Patel and Bongino flew to Utah. It was held instead in the evening. Patel appeared but did not speak.
As the search stretched on for over a day, Patel angrily vented to FBI personnel Thursday about what he perceived as a failure to keep him informed, including that he was not quickly shown a photograph of the suspected shooter. That’s according to two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss it by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. The New York Times earlier reported details of the call.
Asked about the scrutiny of his performance, the FBI issued a statement saying that it had worked with local law enforcement to bring the suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, to justice and “will continue to be transparent with the American people.”
Patel’s overall response did not go unnoticed in conservative circles. One prominent strategist, Christopher Rufo, posted on X that it was “time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI.”
Patel, at a news conference Friday and again on social media Saturday, touted his oversight of the investigation, highlighting his decision to publicize photographs of Robinson as a key break in the investigation. Robinson’s father recognized him from the photos, setting off a chain of events that resulted in the son turning himself in.
Patel received support Saturday from Trump. He reposted on X a post from a Fox News Channel journalist who said she had spoken with Trump and that the president had said that Patel and the FBI “have done a great job.”
Then there’s the personnel purge
On the same day Kirk was killed, Patel faced a separate problem: a lawsuit from three FBI senior executives fired in an August purge that wiped away decades of institutional experience and that they characterized as a Trump administration retribution campaign.
The lawsuit quotes Patel as having told Driscoll his job depended on firing people the White House wanted gone. The FBI has declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The other plaintiffs are Spencer Evans, a former top agent in Las Vegas whose termination letter cited a “lack of reasonableness and overzealousness” in implementing COVID-19 policies while serving as a human resources official — a claim his lawyers call false — and Steve Jensen, who helped oversee FBI investigations into the Jan. 6. Capitol riot.
The upheaval continues a trend that began even before Patel took over, when more than a half-dozen of the bureau’s most senior executives were forced out under a Justice Department rationale that they could not be “trusted” to implement Trump’s agenda.
There’s since been significant turnover in leadership at the FBI’s 55 field offices. Some left because of promotions and planned retirements, but others because of ultimatums to accept new assignments or resign. The head of the Salt Lake City office, an experienced counterterrorism investigator, was pushed out of her position weeks before Kirk was killed at a Utah college, said people familiar with the move.
In July, an agent based in Norfolk, Virginia, Michael Feinberg, authored a first-person account saying he was told to brace for a demotion and a polygraph exam because of his friendship with Peter Strzok , a lead FBI agent in the investigation into ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign fired over derogatory text messages sent about Trump. Feinberg resigned instead.
FBI’s priorities shift under Patel
Patel arrived at the FBI having been a sharp critic of its leadership, including for investigations into Trump that he says politicized the institution. Under Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI and Justice Department have become entangled in their own politically fraught inquiries, such as one into New York Attorney General Letitia James.
He’s moved quickly to remake the bureau, with the FBI and Justice Department working to investigate one of the Republican president’s chief grievances — the years-old Trump-Russia investigation. Trump has routinely called that probe, which did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump’s campaign, a “hoax” and “witch hunt.”
The Justice Department appeared to confirm in an unusual statement that it was investigating former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan, pivotal players in the Russia saga listed by Patel in a book he authored as “members of the Executive Branch Deep State,” but did not say for what. Bondi has directed that evidence be presented to a grand jury, and agents and prosecutors have begun requesting information and interviews from former officials related to the investigation, according to multiple people familiar with the outreach.
Critics of the fresh Russia inquiry consider it a transparent attempt to turn the page from the fierce backlash the FBI and Justice Department endured from elements of Trump’s base following their July announcement that they would not be releasing any additional documents from the Epstein investigation.
Patel has meanwhile elevated the fight against street crime, drug trafficking and illegal immigration to the top of the FBI’s agenda, in alignment with Trump’s agenda.
The bureau makes no apologies for aggressive policing in American cities the Trump administration contends have been consumed by crime. Patel and Bongino have been promoting the number of arrests involving federal law enforcement in an initiative they dub Operation Summer Heat. Patel says the thousands of cumulative arrests, many of them immigration-related, are “what happens when you let good cops be good cops.”
But some are concerned the street crime focus could draw attention from the sophisticated public corruption and national security threats for which the bureau has long been primarily, if not solely, responsible for investigating. In one example, a federal corruption squad in Washington was disbanded this past spring.
“One of the big problems that I see is that the investigative programs that have been hurt the most this year are the ones that really only the FBI does, or the FBI does better than anybody else,” said Matt DeSarno, who retired in 2022 as head of the Dallas field office.
The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking $3.1 million in fines from Boeing over safety violations, including ones related to an Alaska Airlines jetliner losing a door plug panel on its fuselage in midflight.
The proposed penalty is for safety violations that occurred from September 2023 through February 2024, the FAA said Friday.
That period includes the January 2024 blowout of a paneled-over exit door — called a door plug —- on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 shortly after it took off from Portland, Oregon.
None of the 171 passengers or six crew members on the flight were seriously injured. Pilots landed the plane safely back at the airport.
In June, the National Transportation Safety Board said its 17-month long investigation found that lapses in Boeing’s manufacturing and safety oversight, combined with ineffective inspections and audits by the FAA, led to the door plug blowout.
The FAA said Friday that it identified hundreds of quality system violations at Boeing’s 737 factory in Renton, Washington, and Boeing subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems’ 737 factory in Wichita, Kansas.
Among other violations, the regulator also found that a Boeing employee pressured a member of Boeing’s ODA unit, which is tasked with performing certain inspections and certifications on the FAA’s behalf, to sign off on a 737 Max airplane “so that Boeing could meet its delivery schedule, even though the ODA member determined the aircraft did not comply with applicable standards.”
Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing has 30 days to respond to the FAA.
In a statement Saturday, Boeing said it is reviewing the agency’s proposed civil penalty, noting that the company put in place a safety and quality plan last year, under FAA oversight, that aims to enhance safety management and quality assurance in its airplane production.
“We regret the January 2024 door-plug accident and continue to work on strengthening our safety culture and improving first-time quality and accountability across our operations,” the company said.
The Justice Department reached a deal in May allowing Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the Max before the two crashes.
Boeing was also in the news in June when a 787 flown by Air India crashed shortly after takeoff and killed at least 270 people. Investigators have not determined what caused that crash, but so far they have not found any flaws with the model, which has a strong safety record.
By JESSE BEDAYN, HANNAH SCHOENBAUM, LINDSEY WASSON and RIO YAMAT Associated Press
OREM, Utah (AP) — One student holed up in his house for two days after witnessing Charlie Kirk’s assassination, nervous about going back to the Utah college campus where the conservative activist was shot. Another, unable to sleep or shake what she saw and heard, called her dad to come take her home.
As investigators spend the weekend digging deeper into suspect Tyler James Robinson ahead of his initial court appearance Tuesday, students who witnessed Wednesday’s shooting at Utah Valley University are reckoning with trauma, grief and the pall the killing has cast on their community.
Charlie Kirk was killed Wednesday during an outdoor debate event on campus. Students who witnessed his assassination are reckoning with trauma and grief. Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was a top podcaster, culture warrior and ally of President Donald Trump. (AP video by Thomas Peipert)
Robinson’s arrest late Thursday calmed some fears. Still, questions persist about the alleged shooter’s motive and planning, as well as security lapses that allowed a man with a rifle to shoot Kirk from a rooftop before fleeing.
The university has said there will be increased security when classes resume on Sept. 17.
In Robinson’s hometown, about 240 miles (390 kilometers) southwest of campus, a law enforcement presence was significantly diminished Saturday after the FBI executed a search warrant at his family’s home. A gray Dodge Challenger that authorities say Robinson drove to UVU appeared to have been hauled away.
No one answered the door Saturday at his family’s home in Washington, Utah, and the blinds were closed.
The killing has prompted pleas for civility in American political discourse, but those calls were not always heeded, and some people who have criticized Kirk in the wake of his death have been fired or suspended from their jobs.
On Friday, Office Depot said it fired a worker at a Michigan store who was seen on video refusing to print flyers for a Kirk vigil and calling them “propaganda.” On Thursday, a conservative internet personality filmed a video outside Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker’s home, urging viewers to “take action” after Kirk’s assassination. Pritzker’s security has been stepped up.
At a makeshift memorial near Utah Valley University’s main entrance in Orem, people have been leaving flowers. Cars looped nearby streets Saturday, honking horns, flying American flags and displaying messages such as “We love you Charlie,” “Charlie 4 Ever” and “RIP Charlie.”
In the area where the Turning Point USA co-founder was shot, a crew has begun taking down tents and banners and scrubbing away reminders of the killing.
A memorial to Kirk brings stunned students together
Student Alec Vera stopped at the memorial after finally leaving his house Friday night for a drive to clear his head. Vera said he had been in a daze, unable to concentrate and avoiding people, since watching Kirk collapse about 30 or 40 feet (9 to 12 meters) in front of him.
“I just kind of felt the need to come here, to be with everyone, either to comfort or to be comforted, just to kind of surround myself with those that are also mourning,” Vera said.
One woman knelt, sobbing. Others stood quietly or spoke softly with friends. On the campus’ perimeter, trees were wrapped in red ribbons.
A handful of cars remained stranded in parking lots by students who left behind keys while fleeing the shooting. One student pleaded with an officer to let him retrieve his bike from beyond the police tape and cracked a smile as the officer let him through. The university said people can pick up their belongings early next week.
Anxious about returning to campus
Student Marjorie Holt started crying when she brought flowers to campus Thursday, prompting her to change her mind about returning to campus this weekend.
Hours after the shooting, the 18-year-old said she lay in bed, haunted by the horror she witnessed: the sound of a single gunshot as Kirk answered a question and then, “I saw him fall over, I saw the blood, but for some reason it couldn’t click to me what happened.”
Unable to sleep because of a pounding headache, nausea and the day’s trauma, she called her dad, who brought her home to Salt Lake City, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) to the north.
Returning to campus, Holt said, is “going to feel like a terrible, like a burden on my heart.”
Vera said Kirk was shot in the campus’ main gathering spot — where students take naps, meditate, do homework and hang out.
“Seeing it when I go back, I will be pretty uncomfortable at first, knowing I have to walk past it each time, knowing what had just occurred here,” Vera said.
Struggling with flashbacks and a weird heaviness
Student Alexis Narciso said he has flashbacks when he hears a bang, a honking horn or other loud noise. He was about 10 feet (3 meters) away.
“I just feel numb. I don’t feel anything,” Narciso said. “I want to cry but at the same time I don’t.”
Jessa Packard, a single mother of two who lives nearby, said even with a suspect in custody, her feeling of unease hasn’t lifted. Packard’s home security system captured video of the Dodge Challenger that police say Robinson drove to campus. After the shooting, she said, law enforcement officers descended on her neighborhood, searching yards and taking security footage.
“There’s this really weird heaviness and I think, honestly, a lot of fear for me personally that hasn’t gone away,” Packard said. “The fact that there was like this murderer in my neighborhood, not knowing where he is but knowing he’s been through there, coursing things out, is a really eerie feeling.”
Searching for closure from one campus to another
Halle Hanchett, 19, a student at nearby Brigham Young University, said she had just pulled her phone out to start filming Kirk when she heard the gunshot followed by a collective gasp. Hanchett said she saw blood, Kirk’s security team jump forward and horror on the faces around her. She dropped to the ground in the fetal position, wondering: “What is going on? Am I going to die?”
On Friday, she brought flowers and quietly gazed at the place where the kickoff to Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour” ended in violence.
“The last few days I’ve just, haven’t really said much, I just kinda like zone out, stare off,” Hanchett said, standing with her fiancé as water fountains bubbled nearby. “The memory, it just replays.”
She’s praying for the strength to move forward, she said, “and take it as: ‘OK, I was here for this. How can I learn from this? And how can I help other people learn from this?’”
A neighbor of Robinson’s looks for answers
In Robinson’s hometown, neighbor Kris Schwiermann recalled him as a shy, studious and “very respectful” student who loved to read. Schwiermann, 66, was head custodian at the elementary school that Robinson and his siblings attended.
She said she was stunned by the news of his arrest, describing the Robinsons as a “very tight-knit family.”
Like the Robinsons, Schwiermann is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She said they belonged to the same congregation, though she said the family hadn’t been active in the church in at least eight years.
“I want to make sure that people know that we don’t have any ill feelings towards their family or him,” Schwiermann said. “He made the wrong choice.”
___
Yamat reported from Washington, Utah, and St. George, Utah. Associated Press reporters Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix, Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Michael R. Sisak in New York also contributed to this report.
By ERIC TUCKER, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, JESSE BEDAYN and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press
OREM, Utah (AP) — The man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk had expressed opposition to the conservative activist’s views and indicated that he was responsible for the shooting, authorities said Friday as they announced an arrest in the killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in a deeply polarized United States.
Tyler Robinson, 22, had become “more political” in the run-up to the shooting and mentioned during a dinner with family that Kirk would be visiting Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox told a news conference. The governor cited as evidence engravings on bullet casings found in the rifle that authorities believe was used in the attack, as well as chat app messages attributed to the suspect that a roommate shared with law enforcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we got him,” Cox told a news conference soon after the arrest was first heralded by President Donald Trump on the Fox News show “Fox & Friends.”
Robinson, who was from Utah, is believed to have acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said. He was arrested on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offenses. He was expected to be formally charged early next week ahead of an initial court appearance.
Robinson’s arrest late Thursday capped a frenetic day-and-a-half search that just hours earlier seemed stuck when authorities pleaded for tips and leads from the public. The assassination captivated the public not only because of Kirk’s outsize influence in conservative political circles and his close connections with Trump but also because of the pressing questions it raised about the escalating toll of political violence that has spanned the ideological spectrum.
“This is our moment: Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?” Cox asked, making an impassioned plea for young people to bridge differences through common ground rather than violence. “It’s a choice.”
New details on evidence
Authorities have yet to reveal a motive, but they did describe evidence they said shed potential light on the slaying.
That includes engravings on bullet casings recovered from the high-powered rifle believed used in the attack, including one that said, “Hey, fascist! Catch!” Cox said.
In addition, a roommate shared with authorities messages from the chatting app Discord that involved a contact named Tyler and discussed a rifle wrapped in a towel, engraved bullets and a scope, the governor said. A Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle was found in a towel in a wooded area along the path investigators believe Robinson took after firing a shot from a distant roof and then fleeing.
The clothes the suspect wore when confronted by law enforcement late Thursday were consistent with what he had on when he arrived on campus a day earlier, and a family member confirmed that a drove a grey Dodge Challenger that surveillance video captured him driving to the universities, Cox said.
Robinson’s father recognized him from the photos released by the FBI and told him to turn himself in. Robinson refused at first, but then changed his mind, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. His father reached out for help to their youth pastor, who also occasionally works with the U.S. Marshals and called the agency so he could turn himself in.
Meanwhile, investigators continued to dig into the background of Robinson, who was admitted to Utah State University on a prestigious academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter posted to a family member’s social media account. However, he attended for only one semester in 2021, a university spokesperson said.
Robinson’s address was still listed as his parent’s home, and he is registered as an unaffiliated voter, according to Utah state records. He does not appear to have a prior criminal record. The family lives in a suburb of the city of St. George in southern Utah, about a 3.5-hour drive south of the Utah Valley University campus where Kirk was shot.
Family members of Robinson did not immediately return messages seeking comment. It was not clear if he had a lawyer.
‘He didn’t deserve this’
Kirk was a conservative provocateur who became a powerful political force by rallying young Republican voters and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.
Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA, based in Arizona. He had had been speaking at a campus debate on the first stop of his “American Comeback Tour,” at the time of Wednesday’s shooting.
He was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence. when suddenly a shot rang out. Kirk reached up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasped and screamed before people started running away.
Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk’s family Thursday in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.
“He wanted to help young people, and he didn’t deserve this,” Trump said Friday. “He was really a good person.”
___
Tucker and Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Nicholas Riccardi in Denver; Michael Biesecker, Brian Slodysko, Lindsay Whitehurst and Michelle L. Price in Washington; Ty O’Neil in Orem, Utah; Hallie Golden in Seattle; and Meg Kinnard in Chapin, S.C., contributed to this report.
