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The 22-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk reportedly confessed to the killing in a group chat on Discord shortly before being arrested.
Tyler Robinson, who is expected to be criminally charged Tuesday, allegedly wrote in a small group chat, “Hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday,” two people familiar with the chat told The Washington Post.
The revelation comes as officials have said Robinson refused to cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation.
Although Robinson surrendered to the police on the evening of September 11, authorities have not yet determined a full motive for the shooting. Officials say Robinson was radicalized online and subscribed to a “leftist” ideology.
Trump administration have claimed without presenting public evidence that the shooting was part of an organized left-wing terror plot, and vowed on Monday to go after the groups behind it.
Kirk, a Republican activist and co-founder of the conservative youth movement Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while hosting an event at a Utah college on September 10.
His death has prompted widespread mourning and outrage, especially on the right, and Vice President JD Vance stepped in Monday to host an episode of the late activist’s podcast.
Bondi signals DOJ could launch cases against critics of Charlie Kirk using expansive definition of First Amendment
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday suggested the Justice Department may investigate or prosecute individuals for making negative or aggressive comments about the late Charlie Kirk, as well as businesses whose employees hold disparaging views of the conservative activist.
“I have no tolerance,” Bondi said Monday during an interview on the Katie Miller Podcast. “It’s not free speech when you come out and you say it’s ok what happened to Charlie. We’re firing people. We’re seeing people online who are posting hate speech. They should be shut down. They should be stopped from doing this. And they should know there are consequences for their actions.”
First Amendment law typically protects people’s right to say almost anything, including highly offensive or distasteful remarks, unless that speech constitutes harassment, a real threat, or imminent incitement to violence. Punishing Americans who expressed a political opinion about Kirk or conservatives like could mark a dramatic departure from legal precedent.
During the interview, Bondi also mentioned the case of a Michigan Office Depot whose employees allegedly refused to print a poster of Charlie Kirk, saying, “You can’t do that in the world in which we live…and you’re going to be held accountable.”
This too represents a something of a novel understanding of federal law, which prevents businesses from discriminating against people on the basis of characteristics, like gender or race, while leaving the door open to some political choices.
The Supreme Court, for instance, ruled in 2023 that a web designer could refuse to create work for people in the LGBT+ community if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.
Josh Marcus16 September 2025 07:50
Texas Tech student arrested at Charlie Kirk vigil
A Texas Tech University student was arrested after she was filmed allegedly mocking Charlie Kirk at a vigil held for the slain far-right social media influencer.
Camryn Giselle Booker, 18, was arrested after she was recorded jumping around and yelling at fellow students paying tribute to Kirk. She reportedly said: “F*** y’all homie dead, he got shot in the head.”
Shortly after her arrest, the university said Ms Booker was no longer enrolled.
“Any behavior that denigrates victims of violence is reprehensible, has no place on our campus, and is not aligned with our values,” the university told KCRG TV.
Texas governor Greg Abbott shared an image of Booker being handcuffed and added, “This is what happened to the person who was mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Texas Tech. FAFO [f*** around, find out].”
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 September 2025 07:15
Pam Bondi responds to Office Depot employee refusing to print Charlie Kirk poster
Attorney General Pam Bondi has responded to a report that an Office Depot employee in Michigan refused to print a poster of Charlie Kirk for a vigil.
“If you want to go and print posters with Charlie’s pictures for a vigil, you have to let them do that. We can prosecute you for that,” Bondi told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Monday night.
She added Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, “looking at that immediately, that Office Depot had done that.”
Office Depot said in a statement the employee’s behavior was “completely unacceptable and insensitive, violates our company policies, and does not reflect the values we uphold at Office Depot.”
The company apologized for the “regrettable” situation and said that after an internal review, the employee is “no longer with the organization.”
Rachel Dobkin16 September 2025 06:50
Patel to face Senate amid questions over probe into Charlie Kirk’s killing
Kash Patel will confront skeptical Senate Democrats at a congressional hearing today, which is likely to be dominated by questions about the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s killing as well as the recent firings of senior officials who have accused the FBI director of illegal political retribution.
Patel will be returning to the committee for the first time since his confirmation hearing in January, when he sought to reassure Democrats that he would not pursue retribution as director.
He’ll face questions about whether he did exactly that when the FBI last month fired five agents and senior officials in a purge that current and former officials say weakened morale and contributed to unease inside the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency.
Three of those officials sued last week in a federal complaint that says Patel knew the firings were likely illegal but carried them out anyway to protect his job.
Republican lawmakers who make up the majority in the committee are expected to show solidarity for Patel are likely to praise the director for his focus on violent crime and illegal immigration.
They are also likely to try to elicit from Patel fresh details about the investigation into Kirk’s assassination.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar16 September 2025 06:35
WATCH LIVE: Thousands gather at Arizona State Vigil to honor Charlie Kirk
Josh Marcus16 September 2025 03:50
Nancy Mace to force a House vote to censure Ilhan Omar: ‘Free speech isn’t free from consequences’
Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, announced she will force a House vote to censure Ilhan Omar for comments she made about the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“Free speech isn’t free from consequences. Tomorrow, we are filing a PRIVILEGED motion to censure Ilhan Omar and remove her from her committees. This will force a vote,” Mace wrote on X Monday night.
Earlier, the congresswoman posted a copy of the censure resolution against Omar, claiming she made recent “disgraceful” remarks about Kirk’s assassination. The resolution also calls for Omar to be stripped of her committee assignments.
The resolution referred to a recent interview between Omar and the news site Zeteo, in which the Minnesota Democrat accused conservatives of weaponizing Kirk’s death to attack the left. The resolution also cites a video Omar is claimed to have reposted that suggested Kirk’s divisive views helped create the political conditions that led to his death.
Also Monday, Omar appeared to weigh in on widespread conservative anger about those being critical or even celebrating after Kirk’s death.
“To those claiming they’re for free speech while punishing and silencing those for exercising that right: You’re not pro-free speech,” she wrote on X.
Rachel Dobkin and Josh Marcus16 September 2025 03:30
Watch: FBI director says they have seized computers and gaming systems from Tyler Robinson and his ‘romantic partner’
Rachel Dobkin16 September 2025 03:00
In pictures: Charlie Kirk vigil on Capitol Hill
Congress members held a vigil for the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Capitol Hill Monday evening. Here are some photos from the event:
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is surrounded by House colleagues as he speaks during a memorial vigil for Charlie Kirk in Statuary Hall on Monday (Getty Images)
Representatives Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat; Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican; Chris Pappas, a New Jersey Democrat; Gus Bilirakis, a Florida Republican; Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican; Frank Lucas, an Oklahoma Republican; Nicole Malliotakis, a New York Republican; and others attend Kirk’s vigil (Getty Images)
Johnson, joined at left by Rep. Lisa McClain, a Michigan Republican, leads Kirk’s vigil (AP)
Electric candles are left near a photograph of Kirk and his family following his vigil (Getty Images)
Rachel Dobkin16 September 2025 02:40
Several Democrats attend Charlie Kirk vigil
Several Democrats attended the Republican-led prayer vigil for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Capitol Hill Monday evening.
Representatives Debbie Dingell of Michigan, Tom Suozzi of New York, Don Davis of North Carolina, John Larson of Connecticut, Jimmy Panetta of California and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington had come to the event to pay their respects, according to The New York Times.
In an X post Monday night, Larson wrote: “The death of Charlie Kirk and the shooting at Evergreen High School shocked us to our core. They are solemn reminders of the scourge of gun violence and why we must never accept political violence. As a Congress, we must stand up and act to protect the communities we serve.”
Rachel Dobkin16 September 2025 02:30
Hakeem Jeffries reveals reason he didn’t attend Charlie Kirk vigil
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries didn’t attend a prayer vigil for the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk Monday evening because of a scheduling conflict.
Led by House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, congressional Republicans held an event on Capitol Hill Monday evening to pay their respects to Kirk.
When asked why he didn’t attend the vigil, Jeffries told CNN’s Ellis Kim, “We had a steering and policy committee meeting.”
Rachel Dobkin16 September 2025 02:20