Orem police arrested a 38-year-old man on Thursday who allegedly trespassed into the crime scene on Utah Valley University’s campus where Charlie Kirk was fatally shot.
The man, who was wearing a lab coat, reportedly told police he “was reminising [sic] and filming the scene,” according to a probable cause statement.
He entered the campus from the east side and told officers he was “following the shadows to avoid police contact and detection to not ‘disturb us,’” the arresting officer wrote. The man was arrested around 11:30 a.m.
[Read more: ‘Rapid developments’ unfold in Charlie Kirk slaying. Photo of ‘person of interest’ released; rifle found.]
The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not identify people accused of crimes until they have been charged.
The man apparently had to cross two sets of yellow crime scene tape to make it to the “main” scene, where he was arrested, the probable cause statement said. The arresting officer wrote the man took a photo of himself inside the crime scene.
The man was booked into the Utah County jail Thursday afternoon on suspicion of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, and a misdemeanor count of trespassing. He was released soon after on his own recognizance, meaning he did not have to pay bail.
UVU’s campus has been closed since Kirk was shot just before 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Officials have said the campus will remain closed through the rest of the week. As of 4 p.m. Thursday, authorities had not announced any other arrests in the case.
Police had detained two people on Wednesday, but eventually released both. Utah Department of Public Safety said in a news release late Wednesday that “there are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals.”