‘We got him’: Utah governor confirms Tyler Robinson as prime suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting
Utah governor Spencer Cox confirmed today that Tyler Robinson, 22, is the prime suspect in the murder of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University.
Cox said that Robinson’s family friend turned him into authorities.
This friend then “contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident,” Cox said.
The information was relayed to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and senior investigators at Utah Valley University, Cox added.
Updated at 10.56 EDT
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During the press conference, taking questions from reporters, Cox said that Kirk’s murder is a “watershed moment in American history”.
“Is this the end of a dark chapter in our history or the beginning of a darker chapter in our history?,” he went on to say.
He compared this moment to the 1960s, and the political assassinations of the era, but instead we have videos of the killings circulating on social media.
“We have not evolved in a way that we are capable of processing those types of violent imagery…this is not good for us,” Cox said.
Before wrapping up the press conference, Cox told reporters about what comes next as they process Tyler Robinson, now the prime suspect in the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“We have three days for charging documents to be filed,” Cox said. “We’ll have more information, then more detailed information as those charging documents are filed in preparation for a preliminary hearing.”
Cox added that the county attorney would be working “very closely” with Charlie Kirk’s family throughout the process.
Cox notes that Robinson has been booked into the Utah County Jail, which sits less than hour south of Salt Lake City.
Cox confirms that a friend helped to deliver Robinson him to police custody in in Washington County – which is in the southwest corner of the state.
Updated at 10.48 EDT
Utah Governor believes that shooter acted alone, says investigation is ongoing
Spencer Cox just said that officials “do not have any information that would lead to any additional arrests”. He added that investigators believe the suspect acted alone but the investigation is ongoing.
Updated at 11.01 EDT
‘You are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage’, Utah governor addresses younger generation
While addressing the press today, governor Spencer Cox addressed young people watching.
“You are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option,” he said. “Words are not violence. Violence is violence.”
Notably, Cox did not mention anything about the prevalence of gun violence that younger generations face throughout the country.
“I want you to look at how Utahns reacted the last two nights. There was no rioting, there’s no looting, there were no cars set on fire. There’s no violence,” Cox added.
Cox added that the rifle found was determined to be a Mauser model 9836 caliber, a type of bolt-action firearm, that had a scope mounted on top of it.
A short while ago, Utah governor Spencer Cox said that investigators noted inscriptions on the shooter’s bullet casings.
On one of three unfired casings read “hey fascist! Catch!”, a second read “oh bella ciao” and a third one read: “If you read this, you are gay, LMAO”.
Updated at 11.09 EDT
FBI director confirms that Robinson was taken into custody at 10pm on Thursday
Kash Patel, the FBI director, said that Robinson was taken into custody at 10pm local time on Thursday 11 September.
“That’s why we went so public, so fast, and we’re so transparent. We’re committed to that transparency,” Patel said, referring to the pictures and video that law enforcement shared with the public to help track down the suspect.
Cox added that investigators interviewed a family member of Robinson who said that he had become “more political in recent years”.
“The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10,” Cox said. “In the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU…the family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate.”
Share‘We got him’: Utah governor confirms Tyler Robinson as prime suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting
Utah governor Spencer Cox confirmed today that Tyler Robinson, 22, is the prime suspect in the murder of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University.
Cox said that Robinson’s family friend turned him into authorities.
This friend then “contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident,” Cox said.
The information was relayed to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and senior investigators at Utah Valley University, Cox added.
Updated at 10.56 EDT
The press conference has begun. Governor Spencer Cox is about to speak.