The individual apprehended in connection with the shooting incident involving well-known conservative figure Charlie Kirk has been identified as Tyler Robinson, aged 22.
Robinson was taken into custody two days after Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two and a close associate of former President Donald Trump, was fatally shot during a debate at Utah Valley University, which authorities characterized as a politically motivated assassination. Robinson’s father, reportedly a former law enforcement officer, turned him in to authorities.
Utah Governor Cox confirmed that a member of Robinson’s family contacted a family friend, who then informed a Sheriff after the Governor initiated a press conference with the statement “we got him”. Governor Cox further stated that Robinson, who was identified on CCTV footage wearing the same attire as on Wednesday, confessed to the shooting when approached by law enforcement earlier that day.
Cox mentioned that the suspect had displayed increased political involvement recently and had discussed Kirk’s upcoming visit to Utah with family members. The Governor highlighted that Robinson expressed discontent with Kirk’s beliefs and viewpoints, with a family member citing Kirk as a purveyor of hate.
The 22-year-old drove to the university in a gray vehicle, changed attire upon arrival, proceeded to the rooftop where the shooting took place, changed back into the initial clothing, and later discarded a gun found nearby wrapped in a towel along with inscribed bullet casings.
Governor Cox disclosed that the inscriptions on the bullet casings included phrases such as “Hey fascist! Catch!”, “o bella ciao, bella ciao”, and “if you read this you are gay lmao”.
Cox mentioned that investigators interviewed the suspect’s roommate who shared messages exchanged between the suspect and a person named “Tyler” on Discord. These messages revealed plans to retrieve a rifle hidden in a bush wrapped in a towel.
Cox added that the messages indicated the rifle was “unique” with references to engraved bullets. Robinson, born in 2003, was arrested by police at 10 pm on Thursday, with the Governor stating that the suspect is believed to have acted alone.
Robinson had attended Utah State University for a semester in 2021 as confirmed by a university spokesperson to NBC News. Utah Valley University verified that the suspect was not enrolled at their institution.
News of the arrest was first reported by former President Donald Trump, who expressed confidence in the identity of the captured individual as the suspected shooter. Trump shared that a “person of faith, a minister” visited the suspect’s father, leading to the father’s cooperation with authorities.
The suspect’s father, Matt Robinson, reportedly served for 27 years in the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, while the suspect’s mother, Amber Robinson, worked as a care provider.
In a tribute to his friend, Trump described Kirk as being like a son to him and expressed his desire for the perpetrator to face the death penalty. Following the incident, two individuals were initially detained but later released without charges as they were found to have no connection to the shooting.
Kirk was addressing an audience at a debate hosted by his organization when he was shot in the neck during a discussion on gun violence. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the crowd of 3,000 attendees scattered for safety.
The FBI released footage of a suspect positioned on the roof of the Losee Center Building, approximately 180 meters away from Kirk who was seated in a tent adorned with slogans such as “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong”.
Officials shared details about the suspected shooter, describing them as appearing to be of college age and blending in with the large crowd of around 3,000 attendees at the university event.
Authorities initially struggled to identify the shooter, expressing uncertainty about their whereabouts, whether they remained in Utah or had fled to another state. A significant manhunt was launched, offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the shooter’s capture.
In the days following the incident, investigators refrained from disclosing a suspect’s identity or motives behind the shooting. The state’s public safety commissioner mentioned that the assailant appeared to be of college age and had seamlessly integrated into the student population.
Subsequent to the shooting, the FBI released CCTV images of a “person of interest” sought in connection with Kirk’s killing, described as wearing a black long-sleeved T-shirt with an
