AN elderly man hauled away in handcuffs after Charlie Kirk was shot dead is a well-known local agitator with a decades-long history of bizarre bust-ups.
George Zinn, 71, was arrested in the frantic aftermath of the assassination of the Trump ally and influencer, 31, on Wednesday afternoon.
Elderly agitator George Zinn was arrested after Charlie Kirk’s shooting, then released[/caption]
Police confirmed Zinn was not the gunman, booking him for obstruction of justice[/caption]
Witnesses said Zinn shouted about his rights, while others claimed he urged the crowd to ‘shoot him’[/caption]
The white-haired political activist was seen kneeling on the ground as cops cuffed him, before being dragged through the shell-shocked crowd at the Utah Valley University Orem campus.
In the chaos, his pants dropped to his ankles and he was forced to shuffle in his boxers.
Zinn had been “overheard” appearing to confess in the panic after Kirk was hit in the neck by a single bullet — a claim that was later dismissed.
Furious onlookers mistook Zinn for the gunman, with one screaming: “how dare you, you f****g monster!”
Officers were heard on video saying: “He said he shot him, but I don’t know.”
Witnesses said Zinn shouted about his rights, while others claimed he urged the crowd to “shoot him.”
But within hours police confirmed he wasn’t the shooter, stressing he had nothing to do with the killing.
Utah Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said: “Shortly after the shooting, we did have a suspect in custody, George Zinn.
“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.”
Instead, Zinn was booked by UVU police for obstruction of justice.
Another person was also detained but released after FBI questioning.
Charlie Kirk hands out hats before speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah[/caption]
Serial troublemaker
Locals instantly recognized Zinn, who has racked up around 25 criminal charges ranging from trespassing to disturbing the peace, according to records reviewed by the Daily Mail.
The Salt Lake Tribune once described him as the “Utah gadfly – a regular at state Republican functions, and a frequent presence at movie promo screenings and the Sundance Film Festival.”
In 2012, a Tribune column joked: “Time for another thrilling chapter of our irregular serial, ‘The Further Adventures of George Zinn.’”
Zinn’s history includes a 2013 charge for threatening to plant bombs at the Salt Lake City Marathon finish line.
He struck a plea deal, serving probation and undergoing mental health treatment.
In 2019, he was among five arrested during a violent protest against the Utah Inland Port Authority — though his peers were half his age.
Disturbing videos circulating on X captured the moment Kirk was shot[/caption]
A dark figure is seen appearing to lay on top of the roof[/caption]
His antics go back to the 1980s, when he became a notorious gatecrasher at Republican Party events.
At the 1988 Republican National Convention in New Orleans, he had nowhere to stay until Utah’s former Reagan-era education secretary T.H. Bell let him crash on a cot.
When he tried the same stunt at the 2012 RNC in Tampa, hotel staff booted him out.
His latest scrape came in May when he was arrested for blocking traffic.
“George stated he didn’t care if the vehicles waited all day,” an officer wrote.
“He told me he did not care, and to take him to jail.”
Timeline of Charlie Kirk shooting
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on September 10.
12 pm MDT– Kirk is scheduled to host a debate in the UVU Fountain Courtyard.
12:10 pm – A shot is fired at Kirk from 200 yards away and hits him in the neck. The event is immediately evacuated and a man is taken into custody.
1:02 pm – President Donald Trump posts a call to pray for Kirk on Truth Social.
1:37 pm – UVU closes campus, cancels classes, and tells students to leave campus immediately.
1:50 pm – Officials confirm Kirk is in critical condition to the Associated Press.
2:40 pm – Trump confirms Kirk has died, hailing him “great, legendary” in a post on Truth Social.
4:21 pm FBI Director Kash Patel shares on X that the ‘subject for the horrific shooting’ is in custody.
4:30 pm – Utah Governor Spencer Cox, speaking at a press conference, brands Kirk’s death a ‘political assassination. Cox adds there is a ‘person of interest’ in custody and a man arrested earlier has been released.
Gunman still at large
The real killer remains at large after firing from the top of UVU’s Losee Center, striking Kirk in the neck just as he began a Q&A session.
The shocking moment was caught on video, with one witness saying Kirk collapsed in a “fountain of blood” as screaming students ran for cover.
FBI Director Kash Patel initially posted that a “subject” had been taken into custody, before clarifying the individual had been released after questioning.
Police say they are now hunting for a man in dark clothing believed to be the shooter.
The longtime Donald Trump ally was doing a Q&A with students with his nonprofit Turning Point USA when he was hit[/caption]
He leaves behind his wife Erika Frantzve and two small children[/caption]
A memorial is held for Charlie Kirk at the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona[/caption]
Hours later, Donald Trump confirmed Kirk’s death.
“Melania and my sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika and family, Charlie we love you,” he wrote, ordering flags flown at half-mast until Sunday evening.
In a later video statement, Trump called the assassination “a dark moment for America” as he vowed a sweeping crackdown on political violence.
Kirk leaves behind wife Erika Frantzve, their three-year-old daughter, and a 16-month-old son.
Meanwhile, UVU evacuated campus and canceled classes, as a manhunt sweeps Orem for the assassin who gunned the conservative activist down.
Kirk was the founder and president of Turning Point USA[/caption]
Charlie Kirk’s rise to hero of the youth MAGA movement
CHARLIE Kirk transformed conservative youth activism from a marginal movement into a powerful force before his assassination on a college campus at 31.
Kirk was an American conservative political activist, author, and media personality who rose to prominence as the co-founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA).
He launched the organization in 2012 when he was just 18 years old, with the goal of promoting conservative principles to high school and college students and became a significant figure in American politics by building a massive grassroots network, framing himself as a “culture warrior.”
The rise of Turning Point USA
Turning Point USA’s mission was to counter what Kirk and his allies saw as liberal dominance on American college campuses.
It quickly grew to prominence through his use of provocative activism and viral social media campaigns.
They created watchlists of professors pushing leftist propaganda and organized events to debate students on controversial topics.
The strategy helped them gain a significant following and financial backing from wealthy conservative donors.
Kirk’s ability to connect with a new generation of conservatives was one of his most notable impacts.
He cultivated a style of political engagement that was heavily reliant on social media, podcasts, and confrontational public appearances.
His organization’s events, such as the annual Student Action Summit, drew thousands of young attendees and featured prominent conservative speakers, creating a new kind of political ecosystem for young people who felt alienated from traditional conservative groups.
A key ally of Donald Trump
Kirk also became a staunch supporter and ally of President Donald Trump.
He was the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention and served as an aide to Donald Trump Jr. during the presidential campaign.
This relationship solidified his position within the Republican Party’s “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) wing, and his organization became an integral part of Trump’s political apparatus.
Through his popular podcast, “The Charlie Kirk Show,” and his frequent appearances on conservative media, Kirk was a powerful voice in the pro-Trump movement.
He often framed political issues as a “spiritual battle” between good and evil and championed a pugnacious, populist form of conservatism.
His influence was so significant that after Trump’s 2024 victory, Kirk was credited with helping to mobilize younger voters for the campaign.
Influence on culture and social issues
Beyond traditional politics, Kirk’s influence extended deeply into social and cultural issues.
He was a vocal opponent of “woke” ideology, particularly in education and media.
He promoted traditional values, often encouraging young women to prioritize becoming homemakers and mothers over professional careers.
Kirk also openly criticized programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
He was also a major proponent of Christian nationalism, arguing that there is no true separation of church and state in the United States.
The Turning Point Empire
Kirk’s activism led to the expansion of the Turning Point brand into a larger political and media empire.
He launched Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group focused on voter mobilization, and Turning Point Faith, aimed at engaging evangelical Christian communities in conservative politics.
These affiliated organizations allowed him to broaden his reach and influence beyond college campuses, into a more mainstream political force.
