‘Absolutely uncalled for and insane’: Family of person of interest interrogated by police on Charlie Kirk’s assassination speaks out

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The family of a person of interest who was interrogated on the Charlie Kirk assassination spoke with ABC4.com Thursday.

“It’s ridiculous. It’s absolutely uncalled for and insane,” the father of a man detained by police in the aftermath of Kirk’s assassination, said.

Wednesday afternoon, just hours after the assassination, FBI Director Kash Patel announced via X, “The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody.”

Governor Cox confirmed that a “person of interest” was in custody during a press conference.

According to a press release by the Utah Department of Public Safety, police took two suspects into custody: George Zinn and Zachariah Qureshi. Zinn was released and charged with obstruction by Utah Valley University police. However, Qureshi was interrogated by law enforcement and then released.

Zachariah Qureshi, 25, is a resident of Provo and returned Latter-day Saint missionary. He attended the event as a supporter, his family says. Qureshi’s father told ABC4.com that his son was “mistakenly detained” by police and that his son had absolutely no role in the assassination.

Federal Agents and local police enter UVU campus during active shooter situation following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. (Courtesy//MJ Jewkes)

“They should be focused on finding the killer,” Qureshi said, adding that his son was just 20 feet from Kirk when the shooting occurred. “He was in line to ask a question.”

Qureshi says his son went back to his Provo apartment before being found by federal agents and police officers who brought him in to be interrogated despite there being no evidence to implicate him in the assassination.

“After releasing them, and after clearing them of being suspects, they faced scrutiny, they faced threats,” DPS Commissioner Beau Mason said in a press conference.

“There are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals. There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter,” DPS later released.

Qureshi said his family has received online harassment since Wednesday’s events. He says his family’s home address in Texas was even posted online.

“We ask that you do not impose into those people and that investigative process, Commissioner Mason said. “They don’t deserve that harassment for being subject to that.”

“We’re terribly sorry for Charlie’s family,” Qureshi told ABC4.com, adding that his son was a supporter of Kirk.

Previous Coverage

Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer, has been shot while at a rally on the Utah Valley University campus. President Donald Trump and Gov. Cox say that he has passed away.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was appearing for the American Comeback Tour hosted by the Turning Point USA chapter at UVU. The event was being held at 12 p.m. in the UVU Courtyard.

A petition was created to protest Charlie Kirk’s planned appearances at UVU and Utah State University.

According to a UVU spokesperson, at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, “a single shot rang out in the quad near the food court” at the UVU Orem campus as Charlie Kirk began speaking at his event. Kirk was hit and transported to the hospital.

Sorina Trauntvein contributed to this reporting.