Identity of elderly man hauled away after Charlie Kirk assassination revealed

An elderly man who was hauled away by police moments after right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk was shot dead is a local political activist who has previously been criminally charged for a slew of offences.

George Zinn, 71, was arrested amid the chaos at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was struck in the neck by a single bullet while speaking to a crowd of hundreds. The 31-year-old, known for his right-wing activism and close friendship with US President Donald Trump, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition where he died shortly after. Zinn was quickly arrested amid the horror as bystanders screamed "how dare you, you f***ing monster".

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A witness told NBC the white-haired man was "screaming about his rights and all that stuff," while an officer was heard saying "he said he shot him, but I don't know," in a widely-circulated clip of his arrest. It was later revealed that this did not happen, with police then announcing the culprit was still at large.

"Shortly after the shooting, we did have a suspect in custody, George Zinn," Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said during a press conference. "But he was released from custody after we identified that he did not match the shooting suspect and was not an accurate person of interest."

Local community members were said to have quickly recognised Zinn, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The 71-year-old was previously charged around 25 times for a slew of offenses, including trespassing and disturbing peace. His prior arrests came as a result of bizarre incidents.

In 2013, he was reportedly charged with threatening to plant bombs at the finish line of the Salt Lake City Marathon. According to the Tribune, Zinn was placed on probation and ordered mental health treatment after entering a plea deal. In 2019, he was arrested for disorderly conduct and failure to disperse when a protest against the Utah Inland Port Authority turned violent.

Zinn's disorderly behaviour is said to date back to the 80s, where he frequently attended various Republican Party events uninvited. In 1988, he reportedly turned up to Republican National Convention in New Orleans with nowhere to stay. Tribune columnist Paul Rolly wrote of the event in 2012: "So T.H. Bell, the Utahn who was Ronald Reagan's secretary of education, let him sleep on a cot in his hotel room."

Police have now launched a hunt for a man in dark clothing who is thought to have been the shooter. FBI Director Kash Patel, who earlier in the day posted on social media that a "subject" had been taken into custody, later wrote that the person had been released after being questioned.

Kirk's debate was hosted by Turning Point USA and had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar him from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its "commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue."

In a video message, Donald Trump said he was "filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk". The president added: "He inspired millions and tonight all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror."