Category: National

(NEW YORK) — Ryan Routh, who is representing himself at his trial on charges of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump on his golf course last year, was cut off by the judge part way through his opening statement Thursday.

Routh, who is not a lawyer and has no legal education, launched into a speech about the origin of the human species, global conflicts, and his political grievances, before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon cut him off after about six minutes for making arguments that she said have “absolutely nothing to do with the evidence in this case.”

“You do not have an unlimited license to go forward to make a mockery of the dignity of this courtroom,” Judge Cannon said.

Routh began his opening by contemplating how humans have gotten “derailed and so full of hate.”

“Modern trials seem to eliminate all that is human,” he told the jurors as he stood before the jury box. “What is in the heart and mind is all that matters.”

Routh then criticized U.S. foreign policy for standing by while, he said, “Putin has slaughtered 1.5 million” and “Netanyahu has killed 60,000” — arguing that the U.S. “supports his genocide.”

He also appeared to criticize Trump for “trading a war for an election” and moving the U.S. embassy in Israel.

After Judge Cannon criticized Routh for going off topic, Routh restarted his opening to encourage jurors to focus on his intent.

“This case hangs on intent. What is in one’s heart,” he said before nearly breaking into tears.

“This case means absolutely nothing. A life has been lived to the fullest,” he said before Cannon cut him off again.

Prosecutors allege that Routh put together a methodical plan — including purchasing a military-grade weapon, researching Trump’s movements, and utilizing a dozen burner phones — to kill Trump based on political grievances.

Hiding in the bushes of Trump’s Palm Beach golf course and armed with a rifle, Routh allegedly came within a few hundred yards of the then-presidential nominee before a Secret Service agent spotted his rifle poking out of the tree line.

Routh allegedly fled the scene but was later arrested by a local sheriff’s office on a nearby interstate.

Nearly a year after the failed assassination attempt, Routh now faces five criminal counts that risk sending him to prison for the rest of his life. Despite lacking any legal experience, Routh dismissed his lawyers earlier this year and intends to defend himself at trial.

“I will be representing myself moving forward; It was ridiculous from the outset to consider a random stranger that knows nothing of who I am to speak for me,” Routh told U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in a July letter. “I am so sorry, I know this makes your life harder.”

Routh’s self-representation created some issues during the three days of jury selection earlier this week. Judge Cannon — who previously oversaw and dismissed one of Trump’s criminal cases — refused to use many of his proposed jury questions, deeming them too “political.”

Among other subjects, Routh had proposed asking jurors about their stance on Palestine and Ukraine, and about Trump’s proposed acquisition of Greenland.

Routh has said in court filings that he plans to defend himself by focusing on his self-described peaceful nature and his care for humanity, in part by calling to the stand his son and multiple friends to testify about his character.

Judge Cannon has barred him from trying to argue that his alleged actions were justified, that he did not intend to carry out the assassination, or that his actions were protected by First Amendment rights.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(SALT LAKE CITY) — The FBI said it has recovered what is believed to be the weapon used in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

A “high-powered bolt action rifle,” which officials believe was the weapon used in the shooting, was recovered in a wooded area near where the shooting took place, according to Salt Lake City FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls.

The manhunt for the suspect, who is believed to be college-aged, continues, with officials working “around the clock” to locate the individual, officials said during a press conference on Thursday.

The FBI asked for tips from the public as the manhunt for the perpetrator continued, urging anyone with information, photos and video from the incident to share it with investigators.

FBI Director Kash Patel said earlier the agency “stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”

UVU will be closed until Sept. 14, according to a notice posted on the university’s website.

As the search for the suspect continued, President Donald Trump and prominent MAGA personalities sought to tie the killing to Democratic political rhetoric.

In a video posted to social media, Trump said, “It’s a long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree.”

“For years, those on the radical Left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” he added. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”

Trump’s son Eric, meanwhile, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity he was “sick and tired of seeing the bullets — they are only going one way.”

Controversial campus visit

Kirk — a 31-year-old father of two — was considered a confidant of Trump and highly influential in the conservative youth movement.

He founded the conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18, and in the 2024 elections was credited with building significant support for Trump among young voters.

He was hit by a single shot during the outdoors event at the university’s Orem campus shortly after noon. Kirk was taken to hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The Utah event was expected to include a “prove me wrong” table, according to the tour’s website.

Ahead of Kirk’s visit to Utah Valley University, some students started an online petition asking university administrators to stop him from coming.

Though Kirk’s visit was controversial on campus, police were tracking no specific or credible threats before the fatal shooting, Utah law enforcement sources told ABC News.

More than 3,000 people were estimated to be at the event, according to the university’s police chief, Jeff Long. There were six police officers, along with Kirk’s private security, according to Long.

Ongoing manhunt

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason called the shooting a “targeted attack,” and said the scene is a “very large area.”

Mason said the “only information” they have on the possible shooter was taken from CCTV on campus, and that the person was dressed in all dark clothing. The shot was fired on campus from a “longer distance,” potentially from a roof, he said.

There is no evidence that anyone else was involved, according to authorities.

Authorities are combing through video from the scene, including this video which appears to show a person on the roof immediately following the shooting, according to sources familiar with the ongoing investigation. 

During a press conference yesterday, authorities said the shot came “potentially from a roof, yes. A longer distance shot from a roof.” 

Separately, authorities said they are also looking at security camera video depicting someone dressed in all dark clothing and that “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,” according to a statement from law enforcement officials last night. 

The FBI has established a digital media tip line for the public to provide any tips to investigators, including photos or video of the incident.

Salt Lake City FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said the investigation is in the early stages.

“We are following all the leads and all the evidence,” he said during the press briefing on Wednesday.

The Utah Department of Public of Safety said in an update Wednesday night that two people were initially taken into custody after the shooting but later released.

The first was released and later charged with obstruction by university police. The second person was taken into custody and released after an “interrogation” by law enforcement, the department said.

Utah authorities said “there are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals.”

Tributes from both parties

Trump was among those who paid tribute to Kirk.

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump said on social media. “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 beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

“It’s horrific. It’s one of the most horrible things I’ve ever seen,” Trump told ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl.

“He was a great guy,” Trump said. “He was a good man. He was an incredible guy. Nobody like him.”

Trump ordered all American flags throughout the country to be lowered to half-staff through Sunday evening in Kirk’s honor.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called the fatal shooting a “political assassination.”

Vice President JD Vance called Kirk “a genuinely good guy and a young father” while urging prayers in the aftermath of the shooting.

Cox said earlier he was being briefed “following the violence directed at Charlie Kirk” during the conservative political activist’s visit to the campus.

“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,” he said on X.

Condemnation came from both sides of the political spectrum.

“There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now,” Former President Joe Biden said. “Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.”

“The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said on X.

Fellow Democratic governor, California’s Gavin Newsom, said on X that the “attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky, Ivan Pereira, Lalee Ibssa, Isabella Murray, Katherine Faulders, Jack Date, Chris Looft and Helena Skinner contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Opening statements are set to begin Thursday in the criminal trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump on his golf course last year.

With instances of political violence on the rise, the trial is expected to revisit one of the most high-profile instances of alleged violence directed at Trump in the waning days of the 2024 election.

Prosecutors allege that Routh put together a methodical plan — including purchasing a military-grade weapon, researching Trump’s movements, and utilizing a dozen burner phones — to kill Trump based on political grievances.

Hiding in the bushes of Trump’s Palm Beach golf course and armed with a rifle, Routh allegedly came within a few hundred yards of the then-presidential nominee before a Secret Service agent spotted his rifle poking out of the tree line.

Routh allegedly fled the scene but was later arrested by a local sheriff’s office on a nearby interstate.

Nearly a year after the failed assassination attempt, Routh now faces five criminal counts that risk sending him to prison for the rest of his life. Despite lacking any legal education or experience, Routh dismissed his lawyers earlier this year and intends to defend himself at trial.

“I will be representing myself moving forward; It was ridiculous from the outset to consider a random stranger that knows nothing of who I am to speak for me,” Routh told U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in a July letter. “I am so sorry, I know this makes your life harder.”

Routh’s self-representation created some issues during the three days of jury selection earlier this week. Judge Cannon — who previously oversaw and dismissed one of Trump’s criminal cases — refused to use many of his proposed jury questions, deeming them too “political.”

Among other subjects, Routh had proposed asking jurors about their stance on Palestine and Ukraine, and about Trump’s proposed acquisition of Greenland.

Routh has said in court filings that he plans to defend himself by focusing on his self-described peaceful nature and his care for humanity, in part by calling to the stand his son and multiple friends to testify about his character.

Judge Cannon has barred him from trying to argue that his alleged actions were justified, that he did not intend to carry out the assassination, or that his actions were protected by First Amendment rights.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Osama bin Laden had made targeting the United States a top priority of his al-Qaida terrorist organization. Al-Qaida translates from Arabic as “the base” – a base that bin Laden hoped to use to influence Muslims around the world to oppose Western influences and states and to establish fundamentalist Islamic regimes. Bin Laden’s motives were rooted in his extremist interpretation of Islamic theology, resentment over U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, and a desire to overthrow the existing world order.

The “base” was so-called due to it being a centralized, hierarchical organization that provided funding, training and logistical support to terrorism worldwide, including for the so-called “Planes Operation” of Sept. 11, 2001.

In order to embolden and support his organization, bin Laden often videotaped himself with messages aimed at his target audience, established training centers in Afghanistan, had an expansive funding network that included wealthy individuals, couriers, mosques and other complex ways to raise funds.

Bin Laden, through the al-Qaida terrorist organization, targeted the United States for nearly a decade before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, utilizing this large and expansive infrastructure. While al-Qaida’s 1998 attacks against U.S. embassies in Africa and the 2000 attack against the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Cole were successful, the organization’s largest operation was the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and the thwarted attack on Washington, D.C., that ended with the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pa. – all of which included recruiting and training the nineteen terrorist operatives, funding their travel and expenses, and time.

It took bin Laden almost two years to put together the resources and training necessary for those attacks 24 years ago – something that today could be done almost instantly.

Bin Laden and the 9/11 attacks lacked something that present-day terrorists, criminals and violent extremists have ready access to: the internet and, specifically, the dark web. After the 9/11 attacks, as the United States was ramping up to attack al-Qaida, “the base” and affiliate organizations began moving to a more decentralized and incentivized form of terrorism and violence.

Terrorists expanded their use of the internet for a wide range of activities, including planning attacks, radicalization and recruitment, propaganda dissemination, and fundraising. While the internet facilitates covert planning through tools like encrypted messages, it also serves as a platform for psychological warfare, spreading disinformation and images to incite fear. This online presence includes social media platforms used for propaganda, communication and recruitment, creating a challenge for governments and platforms alike to manage the spread of extremist content in hopes of preventing potential violence.

In a 2004 study, the United States Institute of Peace said that hundreds of terrorist groups had migrated online, utilizing a tool meant for better communication for often nefarious purposes. Nearly 20 years later, a 2022 study titled “Terrorism and the internet: How dangerous is online radicalization?” highlighted how online radicalization had become a clear threat that can metastasize in dark corners, often unnoticed.

The main use of the internet by these terrorist groups – incentivizing and radicalizing supporters and stoking fear with propaganda – is something bin Laden would have had to do with videotapes played by the news. Likewise, the internet has made fundraising much easier with the use of online payment methods, which are easy to set up and difficult to trace. And now, with the advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI), terrorists have yet another tool at their disposal.

According to a U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security hearing background advisory earlier this year, “GenAI is a rapidly emerging technology that can produce numerous kinds of content, such as text, images, or audio, when prompted by a user. Foreign terrorist organizations are actively seeking ways to exploit GenAI to support a variety of violent extremist tactics, techniques, and procedures, such as using AI-powered chatbots, to interact with potential recruits.”

“Foreign cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging applications like TikTok and Telegram have allowed their platforms to become a breeding ground for radical extremism,” the advisory continued. Essentially, terrorist groups have been able to weaponize the internet and incite violence in ways they couldn’t have imagined on Sept. 11.

While terrorism isn’t new, the use of the internet, and now AI, magnifies the capabilities and reach of terrorist groups that used to rely on scattered notes and videotapes to conduct their business. It seems reasonable to assume that if bin Laden had had access to the technologies of today, the 9/11 attacks may have been precursors to additional and more frequent deadly attacks.

The threats we face today are more complex, borderless, and technologically advanced than ever before. Counterterrorism strategies must continue to adapt to meet this evolving battleground, leveraging not only military and intelligence tools but also public-private partnerships with tech platforms, AI monitoring, and global diplomacy.

The legacy of 9/11 must be more than remembrance – it must be vigilance. As we honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day, and those first responders who have died in the years since, we must remain resolute in facing the ever-changing face of extremism, now armed with digital weapons and invisible armies.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The FBI said it is working alongside state and local law enforcement “to fully investigate and seek justice in the fatal shooting” of Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

The FBI asked for tips from the public as the manhunt for the perpetrator continued, urging anyone with information, photos and video from the incident to share it with investigators.

FBI Director Kash Patel said earlier the agency “stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”

Officials are due to hold a press conference at 9 a.m. ET on Thursday. UVU will be closed until Sept. 14, according to a notice posted on the university’s website.

As the search for the suspect continued, President Donald Trump and prominent MAGA personalities sought to tie the killing to Democratic political rhetoric.

In a video posted to social media, Trump said, “It’s a long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree.”

“For years, those on the radical Left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” he added. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”

Trump’s son Eric, meanwhile, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity he was “sick and tired of seeing the bullets — they are only going one way.”

Kirk — a 31-year-old father of two — was considered a confidant of Trump and highly influential in the conservative youth movement.

He founded the conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18, and in the 2024 elections was credited with building significant support for Trump among young voters.

He was hit by a single shot during the outdoors event at the university’s Orem campus shortly after noon. Kirk was taken to hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The Utah event was expected to include a “prove me wrong” table, according to the tour’s website.

Ahead of Kirk’s visit to Utah Valley University, some students started an online petition asking university administrators to stop him from coming.

Though Kirk’s visit was controversial on campus, police were tracking no specific or credible threats before the fatal shooting, Utah law enforcement sources told ABC News.

More than 3,000 people were estimated to be at the event, according to the university’s police chief, Jeff Long. There were six police officers, along with Kirk’s private security, according to Long.

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason called the shooting a “targeted attack,” and said the scene is a “very large area.”

Mason said the “only information” they have on the possible shooter was taken from CCTV on campus, and that the person was dressed in all dark clothing. The shot was fired on campus from a “longer distance,” potentially from a roof, he said.

There is no evidence that anyone else was involved, according to authorities.

Salt Lake City FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said the investigation is in the early stages.

“We are following all the leads and all the evidence,” he said during the press briefing on Wednesday.

(NEW YORK) — The Utah Department of Public of Safety said in an update Wednesday night that two people were initially taken into custody after the shooting but later released.

The first was released and later charged with obstruction by university police. The second person was taken into custody and released after an “interrogation” by law enforcement, the department said.

Utah authorities said “there are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals.”

Trump was among those who paid tribute to Kirk.

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump said on social media. “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 beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

“It’s horrific. It’s one of the most horrible things I’ve ever seen,” Trump told ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl.

“He was a great guy,” Trump said. “He was a good man. He was an incredible guy. Nobody like him.”

Trump ordered all American flags throughout the country to be lowered to half-staff through Sunday evening in Kirk’s honor.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called the fatal shooting a “political assassination.”

Vice President JD Vance called Kirk “a genuinely good guy and a young father” while urging prayers in the aftermath of the shooting.

Cox said earlier he was being briefed “following the violence directed at Charlie Kirk” during the conservative political activist’s visit to the campus.

“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,” he said on X.

Condemnation came from both sides of the political spectrum.

“There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now,” Former President Joe Biden said. “Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.”

“The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said on X.

Fellow Democratic governor, California’s Gavin Newsom, said on X that the “attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(EVERGREEN, Colo.) — At least four students were injured after a shooting unfolded at a high school in Evergreen, Colorado, on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office confirmed to ABC News that students from Evergreen High School were on their way to the hospital. Officials said they received the first report of a shooting at the school at approximately 12:24 p.m. local time.

The suspect was engaged and neutralized, according to law enforcement officials. Officials are sweeping the campus, but the school is no longer in a lockdown.

“This is the scariest thing you’d think could ever happen” said sheriff’s office spokesperson Jacki Kelley.

Three students are in critical condition and are being transported to St. Anthony Hospital, a hospital spokesperson confirmed to ABC News. A fourth student has also been transported, but with an unknown injury.

Investigators believe the shooter is among the injured students.

“I don’t know if our suspect is even old enough to drive,” Kelley said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also responding to the scene.

Denver FBI also said in a statement they are “aware of the situation,” have personnel responding to the scene and “stand ready to assist.”

Hundreds of police officers are on the scene searching each room on campus, according to law enforcement.

Parents are being asked to reunite with students at Bergen Meadow Elementary.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(EVERGREEN, Colo.) — Three students were injured after a shooting unfolded at a high school in Evergreen, Colorado, on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office confirmed to ABC News that students from Evergreen High School were on their way to the hospital. Officials received the first report of a shooting at the school at approximately 12:24 p.m. local time, according to the sheriff’s office.

The suspect was engaged and neutralized, according to law enforcement officials. Officials are sweeping the campus, which is still on lockdown as it is considered an active scene.

The three patients are in critical condition and are being transported to St. Anthony Hospital, a hospital spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also responding to the scene.

Denver FBI also said in a statement they are “aware of the situation,” have personnel responding to the scene and “stand ready to assist.”

Hundreds of police officers are on the scene searching each room on campus, according to law enforcement.

Parents are being asked to reunite with students at Bergen Meadow Elementary.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(OREM, Utah) — Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, has died after he was shot during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said.

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump said on social media. “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 beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

A single shot was fired on the Orem campus toward Kirk, a visiting speaker, shortly after noon, the school said.

“He was hit and taken from the location by his security,” the university said.

A suspect in the shooting remains at large, according to Orem police, which said they are supporting Utah Valley University in the investigation. The university had previously said a suspect was in custody.

Kirk, 31, was taken to a hospital after being shot, according to Turning Point USA, saying, “We are praying for him at this time.”

Trump posted on social media earlier: “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” 

“It’s horrific. It’s one of the most horrible things I’ve ever seen,” Trump told ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl.

FBI and ATF agents are on the scene, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency “stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”

Utah Valley student Luke Pitman, who witnesses the shooting, told Salt Lake City ABC affiliate KTVX that he heard a “big bang.”

“We thought it was confetti. Then, everyone started ducking down,” he told the station. “And then, I look over at Charlie Kirk and I see blood coming from his neck.”

Utah Sen. Mike Lee said he is “tracking the situation at Utah Valley University closely.”

“Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk and the students gathered there,” he said on social media.

Vice President JD Vance also said on X, “Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father.”

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he is being briefed “following the violence directed at Charlie Kirk” during the conservative political activist’s visit to the campus.

“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,” he said on X.

The university was the first stop this fall for Turning Point USA’s “American Comeback Tour,” which is traveling to multiple college campuses around the country.

An event featuring Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday was expected to include a “prove me wrong” table, according to the tour’s website.

Ahead of Kirk’s visit to Utah Valley University, some students started an online petition asking university administrators to stop him from coming.

The tour has planned stops in Utah, Colorado, Minneapolis, Virginia and elsewhere, according to its website.

Utah Valley University’s campus is closed and classes have been canceled until further notice, the school said.

“There is no call to shelter in place at this time,” Orem police said. “If you see something suspicious, please report it to police dispatch by calling 911 or the non-emergency number.”

The incident sparked immediate condemnation from leaders on both sides of the political aisle.

“The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said on X.

Fellow Democratic governor, California’s Gavin Newsom, said on X that the “attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”

Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said the “attack was sickening and heartbreaking, and there is no place — ever — for violence in American politics.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — William McNeil, Jr., the 22-year-old college student whose violent arrest was captured in a viral cell phone video earlier this year, filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday against two sheriff’s deputies involved in his arrest, the sheriff and the city of Jacksonville, Florida, after prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against the officers in the case.

McNeil was arrested during a traffic stop on Feb. 19 after police said he was pulled over for allegedly not having his headlights on while it was raining. He appeared alongside his attorney Ben Crump and Harry Daniels during a press conference in Jacksonville on Wednesday where the lawsuit was announced.

“I really just wanted my side of the story to be heard … I hope my story gets heard today,” McNeil said in brief remarks on Wednesday.

Court records say that McNeil was arrested and charged with “resisting arrest without violence to his or her person,” possessing not more than 20 grams of marijuana with intent to use drug paraphernalia, driving while driver’s license is suspended, not wearing a seatbelt and no headlights in rain/fog/or smoke.

Additionally, court records show that McNeil was sentenced to and served two days in jail for resisting arrest without violence and driving with a suspended license.

Crump said on Wednesday that the legal team filed the lawsuit “not just because of the violent, brutal attack on this young college student who wasn’t violent,” but also because prosecutors declined to file charges against the officers involved in this case.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida – Jacksonville Division, accuses the officers of “excessive force” and alleges that the policies of the sheriff’s office and the city allow “officers to utilize unwarranted and excessive physical force against an individual who poses no immediate threat to the officer or to others.”

The lawsuit also claims that the policies of the sheriff’s office do not require officers to report all incidents of force.

“This policy creates a setting that promotes its officers to engage in illegal or excessive use of force without the fear of encountering any repercussions or consequences, nor the obligation to report such actions,” the complaint alleges.

According to the lawsuit, McNeil suffered a laceration to his chin and his lip, a fractured tooth and a closed head injury that led him to be “diagnosed with an ongoing traumatic brain injury.”

He is seeking a jury trial and at least $100,000 in damages for physical and emotional distress, at least $100,000 in punitive damages, as well as attorneys fees and other costs, the complaint says.

“As a result of pending litigation, we would be unable to comment further on this incident,” a spokesperson for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office told ABC News on Wednesday.

ABC News reached out to the city of Jacksonville but a request for comment was not immediately returned.

The officers involved are named in the lawsuit as D. Bowers and D. Miller. It is unclear if they have retained attorneys. ABC News has reached out to the Jacksonville Consolidated Lodge No. 5-30 of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), which is the union representing the officers, but a request for comment was not immediately returned.

Prosecutors announced the decision not to file any criminal charges against the officers in this case in a 16-page memo released on Aug. 13 by the state attorney for the 4th Judicial Circuit Court, which serves Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties in Florida.

“Officer Bowers conducted a lawful traffic stop and gave McNeil 12 individual lawful commands, which McNeil refused to obey. Repeatedly requesting a supervisor and arguing the merits of the traffic stop did not absolve McNeil from following lawful orders,” the memo said. “McNeil’s refusal to provide his identification, registration, and proof of insurance, followed by his refusal to exit the SUV, show his hands, and obey the officers’ orders, created a dangerous situation for all involved.”

Crump criticized that decision on Wednesday, saying, “Just because they say it’s legal, that doesn’t make it right.”

In response to the memo, the police union defended the officer’s actions in an Aug. 13 statement posted on its Facebook account.

“When you allow due process and thorough investigations to occur you get facts and evidence. Not emotions, agendas and politics being pushed by radical people in our community and some elected officials who felt like they had to hear themselves speak before all the facts were known,” the union said.

Crump and Daniels criticized prosecutors for not filing charges and called on the U.S Department of Justice to investigate this case in a Sept. 8 statement.

“It’s not just how violent and brutal these officers were. It’s that they were absolutely unapologetic because they knew no one was going to hold them accountable,” Daniels said. “It’s clear that the State Attorney’s Office refuses to do anything about it. So we’re calling on the Department of Justice.”

ABC News reached out to the DOJ but a request for comment was not returned.

Sheriff T.K. Waters announced an internal review of the incident during a July 21 press conference and said that the actions of the officers were being examined in an “administrative review,” which will determine if the deputies “violated [Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office] policy.”

“Pending the outcome of this administrative review, Officer Bowers has been stripped of his law enforcement authority,” Waters said at the time. It is unclear if other deputies involved in the arrest have been placed on administrative leave.

Asked about the status of the investigation and the employment status of officers named in the lawsuit, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(FORT PEARCE, Fla.) — A jury has been selected in the criminal trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump on his golf course last year.

After three days of jury selection, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon finalized a group of twelve jurors and four alternates Wednesday.

Routh, who is representing himself at the trial in Fort Pierce, Florida, has pleaded not guilty to five criminal charges that risk sending him to prison for life, including attempting to kill a presidential candidate and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

The selection of the jury came after Routh accused prosecutors of discriminatory practices, causing tensions to flare in the courtroom.

Prior to Judge Cannon finalizing the jury, Routh — who lacks any legal education or training — made what is known as a “Batson challenge” after he said prosecutors struck two Black potential jurors.

“We have a racist situation that is occurring,” Routh alleged. “It is blatantly obvious.”

Judge Cannon responded to the allegations by accusing Routh of improperly conferring with his standby lawyers, who remain in court to assist him with technical matters. She said she heard “whispers” from the defense table that suggested Routh was getting legal advice from his standby attorneys — something Judge Cannon has prohibited as a condition for Routh to represent himself.

She did not elaborate any further on the “whispers” and declined to inquire further into Routh’s alleged conversation with his lawyers, which is protected by attorney-client privilege.

“It seems to me you are using your attorneys for more than just technical things,” Cannon said.

Routh denied the claim, saying he is turning down their help and came up with the Batson challenge on his own.

“I am hearing whispers,” Cannon said. “I heard a whisper that sounded like more than technical advice.”

The situation deescalated after prosecutors explained their rationale for excluding one of the jurors, and Judge Cannon denied Routh’s challenge. Prosecutors claimed they only removed one Black juror after he provided inconsistent answers to some of the questions on the jury questionnaire.

“The U.S. has offered a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for their preemptory strike,” Judge Cannon said.

Prosecutors allege that after planning his attack for months, Routh hid in the bushes of Trump’s Palm Beach golf course with a rifle in the predawn hours of Sept. 15.

With Trump just one hole away from Routh’s position, a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle poking out of the tree line and fired at him, causing him to flee, according to prosecutors. Routh was subsequently arrested after being stopped on a nearby interstate.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.