The individual accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk purportedly admitted to friends before surrendering to authorities. Tyler Robinson, 22, is set to face murder charges for the death of conservative figure Kirk, who was shot during a rally at Utah Valley University. After a 33-hour manhunt, Robinson turned himself in following his father’s identification from CCTV footage released by the authorities.
According to reports, Robinson confessed in a Discord group chat, stating, “Hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday. I’m sorry for all of this. I’m surrendering through a sheriff friend in a few moments. Thanks for all the good times and laughs, you’ve all been so amazing, thank you all for everything.”
DNA evidence from a towel wrapped around a rifle near the crime scene matched Robinson’s DNA, as confirmed by FBI Director Kash Patel. Additionally, investigators linked Robinson to the crime through DNA found on a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where the fatal shot was fired.
Authorities revealed that Robinson harbored animosity towards Kirk, attributing it to a leftist ideology he embraced in recent years. It was reported that Robinson had expressed his intention to target Kirk in a note before the shooting, as revealed by Patel.
While Robinson’s romantic partner is transgender, it remains unclear if Kirk was targeted due to his anti-transgender views. Officials emphasized that the partner has been cooperative with the investigation, and they believe Robinson acted alone during the incident.
Law enforcement stated that Robinson has not been cooperative and may have been influenced by radical online ideologies. The gun used in the shooting featured engravings related to anti-fascist and meme culture, with one bullet casing bearing the message: “Hey, fascist! Catch!”