Topline
A suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk was identified Friday as Utah man Tyler Robinson, whose family identified him after law enforcement released surveillance footage of a suspected gunman as part of a dayslong manhunt.
Robinson’s family turned him in to police after identifying him from images released by authorities after the shooting.
Utah Governor’s Office
Key Facts
Robinson, 22, was taken into custody after he confessed or suggested to a family member that he committed the killing, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday.
Robinson’s father told him to turn himself in and later called a youth pastor to assist, and the pastor then contacted the U.S. Marshals, CNN reported, citing a law enforcement official.
Ahead of Kirk’s appearance at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Robinson told family members about Kirk coming to the state and said Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate,” according to Cox, who said casings left with a gun believed to be used in the shooting were inscribed with “Hey fascist! Catch!” and, “If you read this you are gay lmao,” among other messages.
Robinson was identified in video surveillance footage from Utah Valley University as arriving near the campus in a Dodge Challenger about four hours before the shooting, Cox said.
Cox said officials had uncovered physical evidence linking Robinson to the shooting, in addition to messages sent online to his friends indicating a need to “retrieve a rifle from a drop point.”
What Do We Know About Robinson’s Political Affiliations?
Robinson previously submitted voter registration in July 2021 and listed his political party as none, NBC News reported. A family member told law enforcement that Robinson had “become more political in recent years” and disclosed Robinson talked about why they “didn’t like [Kirk] and the viewpoints that he had,” Cox said.
What Do We Know About Robinson’s Arrest?
The New York Times reported, citing a law enforcement official, that a suspect was taken into custody around 11 p.m. local time Thursday by Utah state and local police in St. George, Utah, near Zion National Park. Robinson was found wearing clothes similar to those seen in surveillance footage and he was tracked after his vehicle was identified on Utah Valley University’s campus, Cox said.
What Has Donald Trump Said About Tyler Robinson?
President Donald Trump said Friday morning that an unnamed suspect was in custody, suggesting “somebody that was very close” to the suspect turned them in. Trump said he believed the shooting “seems to be” an isolated incident, and echoed Cox’s earlier calls for the suspect to face the death penalty if found guilty: “He’s going to be found guilty, I would imagine.”