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John Amos, best known for his roles in the 1977 miniseries Roots and Die Hard 2, has died at the age of 84.

He died on 21 August of natural causes according to a statement from his publicist Belinda Foster, but the news was only released on Tuesday.

Amos also played James Evans Sr on Good Times which featured one of television’s first Black two-parent families.

“That show was the closest depiction in reality to life as an African American family living in those circumstances as it could be,” Amos told Time magazine in 2021.

Among Amos’ film credits were Let’s Do It Again with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier, Coming To America with Eddie Murphy and Die Hard 2.

Such was the impact of Good Times that musicians Alicia Keys, Rick Ross, and the Wu-Tang Clan all name-checked Amos or his character in their lyrics.

“Many fans consider him their TV father,” his son Kelly Christopher Amos said in a statement.

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“He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.

“My father loved working as an actor throughout his entire life. He was my dad, my best friend, and my hero.”

The original cast of Roots - Sandy Duncan, from left, John Amos, Ben Vereen, Louis Gossett Jr., Leslie Uggams, Georg Stanford Brown and Lynne Moody. Pic: Amy Sussman/Invision/AP
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The original cast of Roots – Sandy Duncan, from left, John Amos, Ben Vereen, Louis Gossett Jr., Leslie Uggams, Georg Stanford Brown and Lynne Moody. Pic: Amy Sussman/Invision/AP

Amos was fired from Good Times after becoming critical of the show’s white writing staff creating storylines that he felt were inauthentic to the Black characters.

“There were several examples where I said, ‘No, you don’t do these things. It’s anathema to Black society. I’ll be the expert on that, if you don’t mind’,” he told Time magazine.

Pic: AP Photo/Nick Ut
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Pic: AP Photo/Nick Ut

“And it got confrontational and heated enough that ultimately my being killed off the show was the best solution for everybody concerned, myself included.”

Amos’ character was killed in a car accident.

His co-star Jimmie Walker said of the row: “If the decision had been up to me, I would have preferred that John stay and the show remain more of an ensemble.

“Nobody wanted me up front all the time, including me.”

Amos was born on 27 December 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, and was the son of a mechanic.

He graduated from Colorado State University with a sociology degree and played on the school’s football team.

Before pursuing acting, he moved to New York and was a social worker at the Vera Institute of Justice, working with defendants at the Brooklyn House of Detention.

He had a brief professional football career, playing in various minor leagues.

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Charlie Kirk suspect arrested after tip-off from father

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Charlie Kirk suspect arrested after tip-off from father

US officials have confirmed the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk has been arrested and identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Utah governor Spencer Cox started a news conference with the phrase “we got him”, adding that a member of Robinson’s family alerted authorities. It has been widely reported that Robinson’s father had turned him in.

The details broadly match information released by US President Donald Trump earlier on Fox News.

Explainer: All we know about the suspect

Mr Kirk, 31, a Trump supporter and right-wing influencer, was fatally shot in the neck on Wednesday afternoon while speaking to university students at an event in Utah.

Two people were previously arrested and then released, with officials saying they were only persons of interest.

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Tyler Robinson. Pic: Utah Governor's Office
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Tyler Robinson. Pic: Utah Governor’s Office

FBI director Kash Patel, who also spoke at the news conference, confirmed the suspect was taken into custody on Thursday at 10pm local time (5am UK time).

He praised Mr Cox and Mr Trump for their support and finished with a message for Charlie Kirk: “To my friend Charlie Kirk. Rest now, brother. We have the watch and I’ll see you in Valhalla.”

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Utah Governor: ‘We got him’

Robinson believed Kirk was ‘full of hate’

Mr Cox described how messages between Tyler Robinson and his roommate revealed information about the alleged plot including details about a rifle, matching the description of the weapon recovered after the shooting.

Bullets with messages inscribed on the casings were also discovered with the rifle, including “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “If you read this, you are gay, LMAO”.

Explainer: How Charlie Kirk was killed

Mr Cox said a family member told officials that Robinson “had become more political in recent years” and had criticised Charlie Kirk, adding that Robinson said Mr Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate”.

Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the shooting of Charlie Kirk
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Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the shooting of Charlie Kirk

Robinson ‘confessed’ to killing

Utah’s governor said a family member reached out to a friend, who contacted authorities on Thursday with information that Robinson had confessed or implied that he carried out the shooting.

Sky’s US partner network NBC News reports the family member was Robinson’s father, who went to a church minister, who then contacted a local sheriff.

Mr Cox said he thought Robinson acted alone and there was no evidence anyone else was involved, but did not speculate on a potential motive. He added that Robinson had been living for a long time with his family in Washington County, in southwest Utah.

Political motivation will feed into the political fallout

We were told that Tyler Robinson, over time, had grown more politically engaged and had a dislike of Charlie Kirk.

Words inscribed on ammunition found discarded included: “Hey fascist, catch!” There were also the words to the song “Bella ciao,” an anthem for the Partisans who fought for the Italian Resistance against the Nazis.

The sentiments would appear to confirm early suggestions of a political motivation – they will feed into the political fallout

If it was inevitable that the assassin would be found eventually, the broader uncertainty is how this episode ends for the United States.

The Utah governor acknowledged dangers when he told the news conference: “This is our moment, do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp? History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country.”

His theme was unity and it’s a message America needs to hear. The danger, laid bare in the aftermath of the shooting, is that it’s drowned out by recrimination. Reaction to the assassination suggests there’s every chance.

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Neighbour: He was ‘smart’ and ‘quiet’

Kristin Schwiermann, a neighbour of the suspect’s family, said he was “smart”, “quiet” and “never caused any problems”.

“I am shocked, very shocked,” she said. “I feel for his mom. She’s a great mom, and he has a great dad.”

At the time of the shooting, Robinson was a third-year student on the electrical apprenticeship programme at Dixie Technical College in Utah.

He previously earned a four-year scholarship to Utah State University, but left after one semester in 2021.

Robinson did not appear to have any criminal history, according to state records. He was a registered voter but was
not affiliated with a political party, according to voter records.

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Shooting suspect ‘never caused any problems’

Mr Kirk was the president and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a prominent organisation that engages conservative youth on school campuses.

Read more: Who was Charlie Kirk?

The father of two, who had millions of followers across social media, appeared at Utah Valley University on Wednesday as part of a planned tour of US college campuses.

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‘Person of interest’ pictured

Vigil for Kirk held in London

A vigil for Mr Kirk was held at the Montgomery Statue in Whitehall, in central London, on Friday night.

The sombre event was organised by Turning Point UK, the British branch of Kirk’s right-wing youth political organisation.

“Charlie Kirk laid his life down for young people,” said Maisey.

While Jade, wearing a Make America Great Again hat with “RIP Charlie Kirk” written on it, said: “I was very, very sad when I heard the news. I didn’t agree with everything he said but that’s OK! I’m just sad I never got to meet him.”

A vigil for Charlie Kirk was held in Whitehall, central London, on Friday
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A vigil for Charlie Kirk was held in Whitehall, central London, on Friday

Turning Point UK’s chief executive Jack Ross told the crowd: “Charlie Kirk has a fantastic legacy and he did so much to shape politics in the West. He stood up for free speech, he stood up for what’s right and we demand justice.

“Charlie was not killed because he talked. He was killed because people listened.”

Jade, attending the vigil, told us she was a huge fan of Charlie Kirk
Image:
Jade, attending the vigil, told us she was a huge fan of Charlie Kirk

Charges expected next week

Robinson is due to make an initial court appearance next Tuesday, when he is also expected to be charged, the Utah County attorney’s office said.

He is being held without bail after being arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm and obstruction of justice charges, according to a court affidavit.

‘Big breakthrough’, says Vance

Mr Kirk’s body was flown back from Salt Lake City to his home state of Arizona on Air Force Two on Thursday, with the US vice president and close friend JD Vance on board.

On Friday, Mr Vance posted on X that the arrest was a “big breakthrough”. He added: “We took a big step this morning in getting justice for Charlie, and for his family.”

Mr Trump said he plans to attend Mr Kirk’s funeral, although no date has yet been set.

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All we know about the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s shooting – and how he was caught

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All we know about the suspect in Charlie Kirk's shooting - and how he was caught

The suspect in the shooting of Charlie Kirk is in police custody after a two-day manhunt.

The right-wing influencer, 31, was fatally shot on Wednesday afternoon while speaking at an event on Utah Valley University campus in Orem.

Police began searching for the shooter on the campus, before eventually extending the manhunt to nearby neighbourhoods.

The suspect has been named as Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old man from Utah, and the governor’s office has released a photo of him in custody.

Tyler Robinson. Pic: Utah Governor's Office
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Tyler Robinson. Pic: Utah Governor’s Office

US president Donald Trump told Fox News the suspect was in custody on Friday, adding “somebody that was very close to him turned him in”.

Officials have now revealed further details about the suspect, including what a family member said about him and messages he sent a friend about his alleged plot.

Here’s what we know about the suspect so far:

How was the suspect caught?

Mr Trump told Fox News that a person “very close” with the suspect went to “the father”, who then went to a US Marshal.

“The father convinced the son,” he said, adding that they then “drove into the police headquarters, and he’s there now”.

He added that he may need to be corrected and that he was “talking based on what I’m hearing”.

In a news conference later, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said a member of Robinson’s family reached out to a family friend, who then contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson “had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident”.

NBC news reports that the family member is his father – and that the father then went to a church minister he knew, who contacted a local sheriff.

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Utah Governor: ‘We got him’

He said the family member told the FBI that Robinson “had become more political in recent years” and that, at a dinner prior to the shooting, he had mentioned Mr Kirk’s upcoming visit to Utah Valley University.

Mr Cox said they had “talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had” and that “the family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate”.

He went on to say that messages between Tyler Robinson and his roommate revealed details about the alleged plot.

“The content of these messages included messages affiliated with the contact ‘Tyler’ stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush, messages related to visually watching the area where a rifle was left, and a message referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel,” he said.

Latest updates as suspect named

Where the shooting took place and where Tyler Robinson was eventually arrested
Image:
Where the shooting took place and where Tyler Robinson was eventually arrested

Mr Cox added that there was no evidence to suggest anyone else was involved, but that the investigation was ongoing.

He said the suspect was taken into custody in Washington County, in southern Utah, around a three to four hour drive from Orem, where his family lived.

Pictures and footage released by the FBI

Photos released of the suspect. Pic: Utah Public Safety
Image:
Photos released of the suspect. Pic: Utah Public Safety

Mr Cox also said that the suspect changed clothes on campus.

He said footage “first spotted” him with one outfit on, which he allegedly changed while on the roof of one building.

Mr Cox said he then “changed back into that clothing at some point” – meaning the first outfit.

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Moment suspect flees after Charlie Kirk shooting

All this meant, the governor said, that when he was arrested, the suspect was wearing the same clothes he had on before the shooting.

Earlier, Mr Trump had said the suspect was “28 or 29”, but caveated that his facts were “subject to be corrected” and “based on what I’m hearing”.

Before news of his capture came in, the FBI had released images of a “person of interest” in the shooting, later revealed to be Robinson, showing him wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a backpack.

They also released video footage of him fleeing after the incident, where he could be seen walking on the roof of the building from where the fatal shot was fired.

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Suspected Charlie Kirk shooter seen on roof

He was then seen climbing down and heading toward a wooded area, where police say he abandoned his rifle.

The first description of the suspect came from a police officer on her radio shortly after the shooting, who said he was “wearing jeans, black shirt, black mask, long rifle”.

Beau Mason, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, later said he “appears to be of college age” and that he “blended in well with a college institution”.

What else do we know about Robinson?

Sky News have now verified what appear to be school records posted in 2020 by his mother which show a 4.0 average – a very high score, akin to straight As in the UK.

“This boy is a genius,” she added.

Robinson expected to be charged with aggravated murder

The suspect is expected to be charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The offences are all state charges.

Mr Cox said that under Utah law, they have three days to file charging documents, and that it should come “early next week.”

Utah officials previously said they were going to seek the death penalty for Charlie Kirk’s suspected shooter.

What weapon did the shooter use?

The weapon was found after the shooting in a wooded area where the shooter had fled, according to FBI agent Robert Bohls.

He described the gun as a “high-powered bolt action rifle”.

Read more:
What we know about the killing – through maps and videos
Who was Charlie Kirk? The MAGA influencer ‘admired’ by Trump

Investigators collected a footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints for analysis.

Firearms consultant David Dyson told Sky News that, based on the range from where they are believed to have fired, the gunman would likely need to be a somewhat skilled target shooter.

But he suggested that while the shot may be difficult for anyone without experience, it’s “not a great range” for someone with practice.

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What we know about how Charlie Kirk was killed

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What we know about how Charlie Kirk was killed

Chaos broke out at Utah Valley University when prominent right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk was shot dead in front of thousands of people.

Mr Kirk, 31, was speaking to students about mass shootings on Wednesday when he was shot in the neck, leading students to flee and a manhunt for the killer beginning.

Many questions remain, with differing accounts and multiple videos across social media.

The Sky News Data and Forensic team has tracked and mapped the events before, during and after the killing to find out as much as possible about what happened.

When and where did the shooting happen?

Mr Kirk was speaking to around 3,000 people from under a small white tent on the campus when he was shot.

The event was part of his “prove me wrong” series, which saw the right-wing influencer visit campuses across the country and debate contentious subjects like gun control, free speech, LGBTQ+ rights and abortion rights with left-wing students.

The event began at roughly 12pm local time.

Mr Kirk was taking questions about mass shootings and gun violence when, at roughly 12.20pm, he was shot.

It was a single shot that struck him in the neck, a university spokesman confirmed.

Charlie Kirk at a university event before he was fatally shot. Pic: Reuters/Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune
Image:
Charlie Kirk at a university event before he was fatally shot. Pic: Reuters/Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune

Madison Lattin, who was standing only a few dozen feet to the left of Mr Kirk when he was shot, said: “Blood is falling and dripping down, and you’re just like so scared, not just for him but your own safety.”

Footage from the scene showed Mr Kirk being carried away within seconds of the shooting.

Where did the shot come from?

In a statement on Thursday, the FBI said they had tracked the gunman’s movements onto the campus, “through the stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof, to a shooting location”.

They said they first tracked his movements from 11.52am, when they said he arrived on campus.

Videos from the event show the gunman was on top of the Losee Centre building – just over 130m away from where Kirk was speaking, according to an online measuring tool.

Two videos show a figure on the roof before and immediately after a shot is fired.

The first video shows what appears to be someone lying down. The person filming says “he just ran from over there” – pointing in the direction of a stairwell coming up the roof.

The second video is filmed in the moments after the shot is fired. You see a silhouette that appears to stand and move away from the roof’s edge.

Using videos taken near the stage, Sky News was able to confirm that this position has a direct line of sight to where Kirk was sitting at the time of the attack.

Audio analyst Rob Maher has estimated the distance the shot travelled, reaching a similar conclusion to Sky News’ analysis.

“The time gap between the crack sound and the pop sound in the recordings close to the podium is about 240 milliseconds,” he told Sky News.

“Since the exact trajectory of the bullet and the bullet’s speed is not known, I have to make an assumption that the bullet speed was likely about 800 meters per second. With that assumption, the time gap indicates that the firearm was likely about 140m from the podium”.

Pic: Rob Maher
Image:
Pic: Rob Maher

What weapon was used?

The weapon suspected of being used in the shooting has been found, according to FBI agent Robert Bohls, who told a news briefing in Orem, Utah, that it was a “high-powered, bolt-action rifle”.

“That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled,” he said. “The FBI laboratory will be analysing this weapon.”

Mr Bohls added that they also found an “impression of a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis”; however the shooter remained at large.

Firearms consultant David Dyson told Sky News that, based on the range from where they are believed to have fired, the gunman would likely need to be a somewhat skilled target shooter.

But he suggested that while the shot may be difficult for anyone without experience, it’s “not a great range” for someone with practice.

“There’s target disciplines, for instance, [at] 800m. So you can shoot quite accurately at far greater distances than 150 yards,” he said.

“If we’re in that sort of ballpark, then you’re not looking at somebody with phenomenal skill,” he added.

What do we know about the shooter?

A manhunt is under way for the killer, which began on the university campus but has now extended beyond.

Police radio recordings show the first mention of the incident at 12.26pm, about six minutes after the shooting occurred.

Officers were on the scene within minutes, with one officer describing the suspect at 12.35pm as “wearing jeans, black shirt, black mask, long rifle”.

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Audio recording of police response after Charlie Kirk shot

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Police audio after the incident

By 12.58pm, 32 mins after the shooting, armed officers could be seen checking the perimeter of the Losee building.

In an update on Thursday, authorities offered a few more details about the shooter, who they referred to as a male.

Beau Mason, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, said he “appears to be of college age” and that he “blended in well with a college institution”.

The authorities added they were “doing everything we can to find him” but that “we’re not sure how far he has gone yet”.

The person of interest the FBI is looking for. Pics: FBI Salt Lake City/X
Image:
The person of interest the FBI is looking for. Pics: FBI Salt Lake City/X

The FBI later released images of a “person of interest” in the shooting.

Two people were arrested after the shooting, but neither was determined to have any connection with the shooting and were later released.

What sort of security was on site?

Witnesses have spoken about a supposed lack of security checkpoints, with people being able to walk into the event with backpacks without being searched.

“Anybody in the world could park anywhere around the university and walk right in,” one witness told Sky News affiliate NBC news.

Read more:
Who was Charlie Kirk? The young MAGA influencer ‘admired’ by Trump
Killing of MAGA icon could be a moment of jeopardy for America

The UVU website states that “generally, anyone is allowed to enter areas that are open to the public” but non-public areas are restricted by “access cards, locked doors, or monitored entryways”.

A 2012 drone video shows the area around the shooter’s location on the 4th floor. A metal railing encloses an accessible balcony area which means that to reach the roof where the shot was taken, they could have climbed or jumped over the railing.

Pic: Eric Fowkes
Image:
Pic: Eric Fowkes

Extra security measures were put in place for the event. UVU Police Chief Jeff Long said six police officers were there as well as plainclothes police officers in the crowd.

Chief Long confirmed that Mr Kirk also had a security team, which travels with him, and said he coordinated with Mr Kirk’s lead security officer.

Analysis of the videos from the event show at least four men, who appear to be Kirk’s security team, surrounding the stage.

“We train for these things, and you think you have these things covered,” Chief Jeff Long said in his statement last night.

“You try to get your bases covered and unfortunately today we didn’t”.

The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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