George Zinn identified as Charlie Kirk's shooting suspect? Truth behind viral old man video

Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed that a man, George Hodgson Zinn, was taken into custody at the Utah Valley University campus.

Updated on: Sep 11, 2025, 04:37:02 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed that a man, George Hodgson Zinn, was taken into custody at the Utah Valley University campus after Charlie Kirk was shot. However, he is not the shooting suspect. Officials confirmed that he was arrested for obstruction of justice and has been booked into the county jail.

Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at a Utah university on Wednesday (AFP)

This comes after a video of officers arresting an elderly man surfaced on social media soon after Trump ally Charlie Kirk was fatally shot.

“We did have a suspect in custody, George Zinn, but he was released after we identified that he was not an accurate person of interest. However, he has been booked into the county jail for obstruction of justice,” Cox told reporters at a press conference.

Meanwhile, FBI director Kash Patel noted that a subject in the murder of Kirk is now in custody.

“The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody. Thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with @fbi We will provide updates when able,” Patel wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

President Donald Trump ordered American flags to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening.

“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,” Trump said on Truth Social.

The incident unfolded about 20 minutes into Kirk’s appearance on the “American Comeback Tour.” According to UVU spokeswoman Ellen Treanor, a shot was fired from a building roughly 200 yards away. Video circulating on social media captured the moment a loud pop rang out, followed by Kirk falling backward in his chair.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed Wednesday that one “person of interest” is in custody and said investigators have found no evidence of a second shooter. Authorities have not released a motive.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson urged leaders to denounce political violence, saying, “We can settle disagreements and disputes in a civil way.” The Republican National Committee praised Kirk as a “dedicated patriot,” while former Democratic presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama both condemned the violence and expressed condolences to his family. Kirk is survived by his wife and two young children.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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