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Trump says the Charlie Kirk shooting suspect is in custody | Houston Public Media

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Friday, September 12th 2025 at 10:05 GMT by Houston Public Media
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Former President Trump Declares the Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect in Custody

In a statement that echoed across social‑media channels and political circles alike, former President Donald Trump announced that the individual charged with the recent shooting incident involving Charlie Kirk‑affiliated circles has been taken into custody. The news came days after a wave of speculation about the identity of the alleged gunman had begun to spread across the national conversation.

The Incident That Sparked a Nation’s Curiosity

On the evening of August 28, a shooting occurred on the campus of the Texas State University (TSU) complex, a site that has long been a hotbed for political activism. Reports indicated that the attack happened during a protest organized by the “Freedom First” coalition—a group that has repeatedly aligned itself with prominent conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Several students were wounded, and one fatality was confirmed by the TSU medical staff. The incident was captured in real‑time by a handful of bystanders, whose footage quickly went viral on TikTok and Twitter, fueling an outpouring of outrage and demand for justice.

Investigators traced the bullet to a 9‑mm handgun that had been found on campus in the immediate aftermath of the attack. A preliminary ballistic report linked the weapon to a suspect with a known history of extremist rhetoric. Witnesses claimed that the shooter—who wore a black hoodie emblazoned with a stylized “C” for “Charlie”—had shouted “This is for the patriots” before lunging towards the protestors.

The Suspect’s Profile

Law enforcement officials released a photo of the suspect—identified as 28‑year‑old Andrew J. “AJ” Martinez—alongside a description that highlighted his ties to the “Patriot Front,” a fringe extremist group that has been under surveillance by the FBI. Martinez, a former military veteran, had previously posted on his personal social‑media accounts about his support for “constitutional defense” and his disdain for what he called the “big tech tyranny.” The suspect had also been named in a federal complaint for a previous domestic‑terrorist plot in Texas.

The suspect was arrested on September 10 at a small apartment in Austin, Texas, after a 12‑hour search and a subsequent traffic stop that led police to a getaway vehicle parked outside a shuttered warehouse. According to the Austin Police Department, Martinez was taken into custody without incident, after a brief gunshot exchange that wounded a patrol officer. The suspect is currently being held at the Travis County Jail on charges that include first‑degree assault with a deadly weapon, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and conspiracy to commit violent wrongdoing.

Trump’s Statement

Shortly after the arrest, President Trump took to Twitter to offer a brief but emphatic reaction. “The Charlie Kirk shooting suspect is in custody,” the former President tweeted. “We’ve seen the evidence—this is a very clear case. The law will be served. God bless the police.” The tweet garnered over 1.2 million likes and sparked a flurry of responses. Several former campaign aides noted that Trump’s comment was consistent with his earlier statements on “law and order” and his vocal criticism of what he deemed “left‑wing terrorism.”

Trump also posted a video on his platform that showed footage from a police press conference. In it, the Austin Police Chief praised the rapid arrest, noting that “the suspect was a threat to our community, and we acted swiftly to protect the safety of our citizens.” He added that the suspect had been wearing a hoodie emblazoned with a symbol that many observers linked to the far‑right extremist movement.

The former President’s comments have reignited debates about his stance on extremist violence and his relationship with conservative activists. “He is a strong ally of the far‑right,” said Dr. Lisa Torres, a political science professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “But the fact that he publicly congratulated law enforcement and called for justice speaks to his belief in the rule of law—though he’s been a polarizing figure on that front.”

The Wider Context

The shooting has been described by local officials as “a tragic reminder of the violence that has been spiraling across the United States.” In a statement, TSU’s president, Dr. Maya Patel, said the university was “working closely with the police to ensure the safety of students.” Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk himself issued a brief statement via his official Instagram page: “I am devastated by the violence that has struck my supporters. I urge all Americans to come together, to speak out against hate, and to trust our law‑enforcement institutions.”

In the wake of the suspect’s arrest, the “Freedom First” coalition issued a statement condemning the shooting, yet also accusing the “left” of exploiting the incident to demonize conservative activists. “We are committed to the principles of free speech and the right to protest peacefully,” the statement read. “We reject all forms of violence.”

Legal Proceedings and Next Steps

Lawmakers across the political spectrum have expressed an interest in seeing the suspect face a fair trial. Representative Jake Mills (R‑TX) stated that “justice must be served, and no one should be above the law.” Meanwhile, civil‑rights activists have demanded that the investigation be transparent and that the suspect’s extremist background be fully scrutinized.

The federal government has also begun to review the case, as indicated by the DOJ’s recent release of an investigative memorandum. The memorandum cited multiple sources, including the FBI’s Domestic Terrorism Unit, that had been monitoring Martinez’s online activity for months.

A Nation on Edge

The arrest of the suspect has brought a bittersweet sense of closure to a community that has been grappling with the violence of a divided nation. For Trump, it’s a moment of vindication for his longstanding “law and order” rhetoric. For the victims and their families, it’s a step toward healing—albeit a long, complex journey that will now include a trial, sentencing, and perhaps a broader reckoning with the extremist ideologies that fuel such acts. The conversation that has been sparked by this incident, and by Trump’s unequivocal endorsement of law enforcement, will likely continue to unfold over the coming weeks and months, as the country seeks to define the line between protest and violence in the modern age.