OREM, Utah: A 22-year-old Utah man who was arrested and booked on murder charges in the killing of Charlie Kirk held deep disdain for the conservative activist’s provocative viewpoints and indicated to a family member that he was responsible for the shooting, authorities said on Friday (Sep 12).
The arrest of Tyler Robinson marked a major break in a case that shocked the country and raised fresh alarms about political violence in a deeply polarised United States.
"We got him," Utah Governor Spencer Cox told a press conference after a 33-hour manhunt.
Robinson had become “more political” in the run-up to the shooting and mentioned during a dinner with family that Kirk would be visiting Utah, Cox said.
The Republican governor credited Robinson's family with helping turn him over to authorities.
Robinson’s father recognised him from the photos released by the FBI and told him to turn himself in. Robinson refused at first, but then changed his mind, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
His father contacted their youth pastor, who also occasionally works with the US Marshals and called the agency so Robinson could turn himself in.
According to CNN, citing a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, Robinson’s father urged his son to turn himself in after he confessed, to which the suspect responded: “I would rather kill myself than turn myself in.”
Robinson is believed to have acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said. He was arrested on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offences. He is expected to be formally charged on Tuesday ahead of an initial court appearance.
NEW EVIDENCE
While authorities said they did not know the motive of Robinson's action, Cox noted that anti-fascist slogans were inscribed on two of the unused bullet casings found by the authorities.
One cartridge had written on it,"Hey, fascist! Catch!"
Another featured "Bella ciao," apparently a reference to a World War II-era Italian anti-fascist song.
Other cartridges were marked with symbols and wording that appeared to be from online gaming culture.
In addition, a roommate shared with authorities messages from the chatting app Discord that involved a contact named Tyler and discussed a rifle wrapped in a towel, engraved bullets and a scope, the Utah governor said.
A Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle was found in a towel in a wooded area along the path investigators believe Robinson took after firing a single shot from a distant roof and then fleeing.
The clothes the suspect wore when confronted by law enforcement late Thursday matched what he had on when he arrived on campus, and a family member confirmed he drove a grey Dodge Challenger like the one seen in surveillance video that recorded Robinson driving to the university the day of the shooting, Cox said.
Meanwhile, investigators continued to dig into the background of Robinson, who was admitted to Utah State University on a prestigious academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter posted to a family member’s social media account. However, he attended for only one semester in 2021, a university spokesperson said.
Robinson is currently enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College near his hometown, a suburb of St George in southern Utah.
He is registered as an unaffiliated voter and does not appear to have a prior criminal record. His address was still listed as his parents' home, about a 3.5-hour drive south of the campus where Kirk was shot.
Family members of Robinson did not immediately return messages seeking comment. It was not clear if he had a lawyer.
At his family’s home, window coverings were drawn, and a pickup truck blocked access to the driveway. There was a heavy law enforcement presence, with several police vehicles parked along the street, which was closed at both ends.
SEEKING DEATH PENALTY
US President Donald Trump said he wanted the death penalty for the gunman.
The president immediately treated the killing of his ally as a matter of top national importance, ordering flags to fly at half-mast and saying he would attend Kirk's funeral.
Kirk was an electrifying presence on the US far-right, with a huge following that helped Trump build the youth vote in his election victory last November.
His hardline views on race, gender, gun ownership and what many said was his antisemitism made him an intensely divisive figure, although even opponents praised his willingness to debate.
Kirk, whom supporters have hailed as a martyr, co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, with his natural showmanship making him a go-to spokesman on television networks.
The father-of-two used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.
