Suspect in Charlie Kirk killing had become ‘more political’ and likely acted alone, authorities say
Yeah. Good morning ladies and gentlemen. We got him on the evening of September 11th. *** family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to *** family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident. This information was relayed to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and seen investigators at Utah Valley University. This information was also conveyed to the FBI. Investigators reviewed additional video footage from UVU surveillance and identified Robinson arriving on UVU campus in *** gray Dodge Challenger at approximately 8:29 a.m. on September 10th, in which he is observed on video in *** plain maroon t-shirt, light colored shorts, *** black hat with *** white logo, and light colored shoes. When encountered in person by investigators in Washington County on September 12th in the early morning hours, Robinson was observed in consistent clothing with those surveillance images. Investigators interviewed *** family member of Robinson who stated that Robinson had become more political in recent years. The family member referenced *** recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10th, and in the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU. They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate. The family member also confirmed Robinson had *** gray Dodge Challenger. Investigators identified an individual as the roommate of Robinson. Investigators interviewed that roommate who stated that his roommate, referring to Robinson made *** joke on Discord. Investigators asked if he would show them the messages on Discord. He opened it and showed several messages to investigators and allowed investigators to take photos of the screen as each message was shown by Robinson’s roommate. These photos consisted of various messages. Including content of messages between the phone contact name Tyler with an emoji icon and Robinson’s roommate’s device, the content of these messages included messages affiliated with the contact Tyler stating *** need to retrieve *** rifle from *** drop point, leaving the rifle in *** bush, messages related to *** to visually watching the area where *** rifle was left. And *** message referring to having left the rifle wrapped in *** towel. The messages also refer to engraving bullets. And *** mention of *** scope and the rifle being unique messages from the contact Tyler also mentioned that he had changed outfits. I know there has been speculation as well as to the writing on those casings. Those, those, uh, those bullet casings, and, uh, I believe we have that as well. And I will, I will share that with you now. So the area north of Campus Drive Road where the suspect crossed over, you saw some of that in the video that we released last night consists of *** grassy area with trees on the edge of the UVU campus. Investigators discovered *** bolt action rifle wrapped in *** dark colored towel. The rifle was determined to be *** Mauser model 98 30 6 caliber 30 6 caliber bolt action rifle. The rifle had *** scope mounted on top of it. Investigators noted inscriptions that had been engraved on casings found with the rifle. Inscriptions on *** fired casing read Notices bulges OWO. What’s this question mark? Inscriptions on the three unfired casings read Hey fascist exclamation point, catch. Up arrow symbol, right arrow, and uh symbol and 3 down arrow symbols. *** second unfired casing read Oh Bellahoow, Bellahow Bellahoow chow chow, and *** third unfired casing red if you read this, you are gay LMAO. We are indebted to law enforcement across the state who’s worked seamlessly together. Local law enforcement, state law enforcement, and our federal partners with the uh with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We’re grateful for everyone who worked together in, in, in such *** short amount of time to, uh, to find this person and to, uh, and to bring justice. I want to thank the public who has been so engaged reviewing, uh, reviewing videos, helping us with, uh, sending in tips and uh helping us get to this point. I want to thank uh the uh the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing in this case and we’re able to uh to bring him into uh to law enforcement as well. I especially want to thank the family of Charlie Kirk, Erica, um, Charlie’s parents, his children. I want us to be thinking of them as we bring justice in this case. Um, they will be involved in that justice. We will be working very closely with them as we move through this process as well. This is *** very sad day for again for our country. *** terrible day for the state of Utah, but I’m grateful that at this moment we have an opportunity to bring closure to this very dark chapter in our nation’s history. With that, I will now turn the uh turn the microphone over to the director of the FBI Cash Patel. Thank you, Governor. This is what happens when you let good cops be cops. The FBI and our partners are proud to stand here today together to bring justice to the family of Charlie Kirk and honor his memory. I want to express my deep gratitude to President Trump, the Vice President, and the entire White House, who have been so incredibly supportive with both resources and just personally to the FBI as *** team. They had our backs the entire way, and I just want to express my gratitude for giving us the resources we need to operate in this space to bring this sort of justice at this sort of speed. In 33 hours, we have made historic progress for Charlie. Governor Cox. Our partnership has been absolutely incredible these last few days. Our partnership will endure. Your state and local partners, your sheriffs, your GPS community has been unbelievably impressive in the hardest of times. In *** case like this cannot be solved, cannot be brought without partnering with your state and local authorities. The FBI has *** certain role to play, and we will play that role. And we will lead out for the federal government, but Governor Cox, we are so grateful for your state partnership that led out on this investigation. *** little bit of the timeline. Charlie was shot at 12:23 p.m. on Wednesday. The first FBI agents arrived on scene in 16 minutes with chiefs of police at 12:39 and secured the scene. The FBI immediately launched fixed wing assets. We utilize these assets to transport personnel, specialty technicians, hostage rescue teams. We also utilize these assets to go back and forth from the East Coast and here in Utah to transport forensic evidence and other evidence that will be analyzed and is being analyzed at our FBI laboratories in Quantico and other laboratories, including the ATF. At my direction, the FBI released the first set of FBI photos of the suspect at 10 a.m. local time on 9/11. Then shortly thereafter, the FBI reward of $100,000 was released at 10:45 a.m. local. Myself and Deputy Director Bongino arrived on the scene at approximately 5:30 p.m. on 9/11. The governor led *** press conference last night. At approximately 8 p.m. Where at my direction, the FBI released *** never before seen video of the suspect. We also released. New images to the public of the suspect and just last night, the suspect was taken into custody at 10 p.m. local time in less than 36 hours, 33 to be precise, thanks to the full weight of the federal government and leading out with the partners here in the state of Utah and Governor Cox, the suspect was apprehended in historic time period. And I want to highlight what Governor Cox said. This would not have been possible without you, the media, and you, the public. That’s why we went so public, so fast, and we’re so transparent, and we’re committed to that transparency. The crime scene just *** little bit there, it is *** large crime scene. State and local authorities along with federal authorities process that crime scene quickly and I even had the um. Ability to walk through that crime scene and walk through the steps the suspect took to learn more about what was needed and what resources we needed to bear to create *** full picture for the FBI and leadership back in Washington. Furthermore, thankfully to state and local partners, forensic evidence has been seized. And continues to be garnered. Forensic evidence has already been evaluated FBI laboratories in Quantico and state local authorities here. We will continue to process evidence as we see it, as we collect it, and we will continue to deliver to Governor Cox and his team. Last night we had *** total of approximately 7,000s, excuse me, 7000 leads. As of this morning, thanks to your great work, we have over 11,000 leads that were called in to the FBI and we are running out every single lead that we can. Every one of those leads will be run out. The arrest is *** testament to the dedication of good law enforcement being great and partnerships in law enforcement, which I’ve tried to highlight as my tenure to the director of the FBI. There is no better relationship for law enforcement than the FBI to partner with state and local authorities, and you’ve seen it here in these last few days. The FBI Salt Lake Field Office along with our offices in LA, Phoenix, Denver, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, our headquarters component in Quantico, all participate in the FBI. I want to express my deep gratitude to the employees of the FBI, the men and women, the evidence response team tacticians, the special operators, the agents, the support staff. You have done monumental work in historic time. When the public who had *** right to demand such an expeditious solving of an investigation, the FBI answered that call diligently, critically important to our nation, and we delivered, and I’m proud to be their leader and I’m proud to be the director of the FBI. This is very much an ongoing investigation, as the governor said, and we will continue to work with state and local authorities to develop the investigation to provide them the evidence they need for their ongoing prosecutions, and we will be here to answer every call they absolutely have as long as it takes for as long as we need to find and apprehend whatever suspects were involved in this crime. Lastly, To my friend Charlie Kirk. Rest now, brother. We have the watch, and I’ll see you in Valhalla. Yeah. Thank you and good morning. I would just like to take *** few minutes as, as the sheriff to express my gratitude for everybody who has played *** part in this investigation. As you know, it’s been *** vast, *** complicated, and *** very, very fast paced investigation. You’re looking. people standing up here who are running on, if they got an hour’s sleep in the last couple of days, they’re probably lucky. Um, it has been very taxing. It has been so impressive speaking on behalf of the local law enforcement. To see the cooperation that we’ve seen in this type of case, uh, across the state sheriffs, chiefs, um, our, our state partners have stepped up and have come to the call on anything that we needed uh our county chiefs have been phenomenal. Our Utah County Attorney Jeffrey, who’s standing up here with us, has been phenomenal in leading us through this investigation. I would like to thank the federal government for for their resource sources, their assets our local team here, our FBI team has been extraordinary in helping us work through this and bring this person to justice. Most of all, I would like to thank the public and specifically I would like to thank the public who turned to prayers and who turned to positiveness for us. I would like to thank them on behalf of the law enforcement community because we needed those prayers. That’s what we needed to get through this. We needed your support and you gave it to us. We needed your patience and you gave it to us, and I would like to thank you for the Kirk family because that’s what they need is your support and your prayers, and that will get us through all of this. So thank you everybody for everybody that have stepped up. We’ve had such *** phenomenal response to this. Thank you. OK. I also want to give *** special thanks to the Attorney General of the Department of Justice, their unwavering support. And their commitment to justice is shown true here and without AG Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch and the resources they brought to bear, we would not have been able to complete our mission, and I just want to say *** special thanks. It’s an honor to be *** part of the Department of Justice. Thank you again, uh, to our incredible law enforcement team who has worked so hard. Um, Sheriff, I got *** solid 90 minutes last night, so I’m probably the most well rested person up here, uh. Ladies and gentlemen, I, uh, I get the microphones, so, uh, I hope you’ll permit me *** moment just to share *** few more thoughts about where we are and and how we got here and, and, uh, and, and maybe *** little bit of where we go from here. Um, I, I don’t want to get too preachy, but I think it’s important that we, with eyes wide open, understand what what’s happening in our our country today. I’ve I’ve heard, I’ve heard people say, well why are we, why are we so invested in this? There’s violence happening all across our country and violence is tragic everywhere and every life taken is, is *** child of God who deserves our love and respect and dignity. This is, uh, this is certainly about the uh the tragic death assassination, political assassination of, of Charlie Kirk, um, but it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual. It is an attack on all of us. It is an attack on the American experiment. It is it is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been, and uh and who we could be in better times. Political violence is different than any other type of violence. For for lots of different reasons. One, because in the very act that Charlie championed of expression. That freedom of expression that is enshrined in our founding documents in, in having his life taken in that very act. Makes it more difficult for people to feel like they can share their ideas, that they can speak freely. We will never be able to solve all the other problems, including the violence problems that people are worried about if we can’t have *** clash of ideas safely and securely, even especially, especially those ideas with which you disagree. That’s why this matters so much. Over the last 48 hours, I have been as angry as I have ever been. As sad as I have ever been. And Um, it was, uh, as, as, as anger pushed me to the brink, uh, it was actually Charlie’s words that pulled me back. I’d like to share some of those, and specifically right now, if I could, I, I need to talk to the young people in our state, in my state. And all across the country. As President Trump reminded me, he said, you know who, who really loved Charlie? The youths. He’s right, um, young people love Charlie and young people hated Charlie. And Charlie went into those places anyway. And these are the words that have helped me. Charlie said, when people stop talking. That’s when you get violence. He said the weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive. Welcome without judgment, love without condition, forgive without limit. He said, always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so much. *** few months ago, I referenced this last night, Charlie posted to social media, when things are moving very fast and people are losing their minds, it’s important to stay grounded. Turn off your phone, read scripture, spend time with friends, and remember internet fury is not real life. It’s going to be OK. He again said when you stop having *** human connection with someone you disagree with, it becomes *** lot easier to commit violence. He said what we as *** culture have to get back to is being able to have *** reasonable agreement, being able to have reasonable agreement where violence is not an option. Now again, To my young friends out there. You are inheriting *** country where politics feels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option. But through those words, we have *** reminder. That we can choose *** different path. Your generation has an opportunity to build *** culture that is very different than what we are suffering through right now. Not by pretending differences don’t matter, but by embracing our differences and having those hard conversations. I, I think we need more moral clarity right now. I hear all the time that words are violence. Words are not violence. Violence is violence. And there is one person responsible for what happened here, and that person is now in custody and will be charged soon. And will be held accountable. And yet all of us have an opportunity right now to do something different. I, I want to thank my fellow Utas, uh. You know, this bad stuff happens. Um, and, uh, for, for 33 hours, I was I was praying that, uh, that, um, if this had to happen here, that it wouldn’t be one of us, that somebody drove from another state, somebody came from another country. Sadly, that, that uh that prayer was not answered the way I’d hoped for, just because I thought it would make it easier on us if we could just say, hey, we don’t do that here. Um, and indeed, Utah is *** special place. We lead the nation in charitable giving. We lead the nation in service every year. Um, but it did happen here. And and it it was one of us. But I, I want you to look at how Utah’s reacted the last two nights. There was no rioting. There’s no looting. There were no cars set on fire. There’s no violence. There were There were vigils And prayers And people coming together to share the humanity. And, and that, ladies and gentlemen, I believe is the answer to this. We can return violence with violence, we can return hate with hate. And that’s the problem with me with political violence is it metastasizes. Because we can always point the finger at the other side. And at some point, we have to find an off-ramp, or it’s going to get much, much worse. But see, these are choices that we can make. History will dictate if this is *** turning point for our country. But every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is *** turning point for us. We get to make decisions. We have our agency. And I desperately call on every American, Republican, Democrat, liberal, progressive, conservative, MAGA, all of us to please, please, please. Follow What Charlie taught me I’ll just, I’ll just conclude with uh with words I share often from *** friend and author Yuval Levin. He was asked if he was optimistic about our country and uh he said, I’m not optimistic. He said, I hate optimism. God, that sounds bad. Uh but, but he said, he said, optimism. is *** vice. It’s this idea that good things are just going to happen. He said in the history of the world, good things have never just happened. He says, I’m not optimistic, but I am hopeful. And hope is the virtue that sits between the vices of optimism and pessimism. Hope is the idea that good things are going to happen because we can make them so. I still believe in our country. And I know Charlie Kirk believed in our country. I still believe that there is more good among us than evil, and I still believe that we can change the course of history. I’m hopeful because Americans can make it so. Ladies and gentlemen, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have. Please speak to whether the suspect is speaking with authorities. I Um, we, I cannot speak to that? Well, I will leave that up to you to interpret what those engravings mean. Um, I, I think the, the clearest one that says catch fascist, there’s not, and by the way, that’s like catch like *** ball, catch this, um, that’s, uh, I think that that speaks for itself. communicate. Expressed discovered that they have radicalized or change to prompt them to commit. There there’s nothing more that we can share at this time. Uh, we do not at this time have any information that would lead to any additional arrests. Yes. But the investigation is ongoing. Did you know about how he came into custody of police. right now Uh, yes, so right now Mr. Robinson has been booked into the Utah County Jail. Uh, you, you heard the president this morning, uh, report that, uh, that he was taken into custody, that, uh, that his family and, uh, and *** friend, um, helped to, uh, to deliver him in to the, the in custody of law enforcement in Washington County. For those of you that don’t know where Washington County is, it is the southernmost southwesternmost part of the state of Utah. It’s about *** 3.5 to 4 hour drive from here, um, where we are right now, and, uh, that’s, uh, that’s where, where he lived and where he, uh, they, they turned him in. I go here. That is I I I can’t share any more than what I’ve already shared. Yeah. OK. So, um, we, we, how we obtained the gun, the gun was found, was found here. uh, so, so I, I don’t have much more details on that. Um, we do know that that that he drove, we had his car here um on, on campus, and then, and then we had his car going, going south back to, back to the Saint George. It’s actually the city of Washington in uh in Washington County. I’m sorry? We don’t have any information that would lead us to believe that. Yes, uh, in fact, it’s already, it was just released. Yes. We, um, I, I can’t, I can’t answer that right now. Can you clarify? Oh here. about trying to Uh, I, I absolutely believe that this is *** watershed in American history. Yes, um, the question is what kind of watershed, and that, that chapter remains to be written. Is this the end of *** dark chapter in our history or the beginning of *** darker chapter in our history? We, we’ve, look, I, I mean, if, if you look at true political assassinations in this country of, of someone of this stature. Um, this feels *** lot like the late 60s. Um and, and having one so gruesomely displayed uh on camera, in all of our hands and in all of our pockets. We are not wired as human beings. Biologically, historically, we have not evolved in *** way that we are capable of processing those types of violent imagery. And by the way, we’ve seen another one with *** gruesome stabbing very recently that went viral. This is not good for us. It is not good to consume. Um, social media is *** cancer on our society right now, and I would encourage, again, I would encourage people to log off, turn off, touch grass, hug *** family member, go out and do good in your community. There are that is happening and it’s happening organically right now. I had *** friend in *** small city in Utah who said we’re we’re getting together, the Republican. And Democrats in my little town are getting together to have *** discussion tonight, last night, just to find *** way to, to, to find their better angels. So, so yes, this, this could be, I mean, you know, again, you have to go back to JFK to to have seen *** video live of something like this happening. Um, I wasn’t born until 1975, but I, but I know that things were really dark in the, in the late 60s. Sorry to some of you. I know some of you were there. Uh, but, but this is the, this is our moment. Do we escalate or do we find an off ramp? And again, it’s *** choice. It’s *** choice, and every one of us gets to make that choice. Two more questions, 2 more questions right here. Could we clarify that the release of those enhanced images at 8 p.m., the timeline that Director Patel gave us, led to the arrest at 10 p.m.? Is there *** direct connection between those two events? I cannot comment if. Is *** direct connection or not, but all I can say is that that that through some process the family came to know that this had happened. One more thing, Governor, could you just clarify the clothing issue you mentioned earlier? Was he changing outfits clarify this? Yes, yes. So, so when he’s first spotted on campus, he has different clothing on. And then he changed his clothing on the roof and then changed back into that clothing at some point so that when, when he was, uh, when he was apprehended when he, when he was arrested, um, the clothing matched the clothing he had on before the shooting here at UVA. Last question here, yes. Where unless he And is there any Yeah, so, um, I, I, I, I don’t have any information on the mental illness part. He was not *** student here at UVU. Um, he was living and and had lived for *** long time with his family in in Washington County in the southernmost part of. Thank you everyone for, for your great work in getting this information out. I just say process wise this may be important. I know many of you aren’t familiar with the process in Utah. I think it’s important that you understand that basically we have 3 days for charging documents to be filed. ACI will be filed. We’ll have more information then more detailed information as those charging documents are filed in preparation for *** preliminary hearing. So 3 days. So you know we would anticipate then that early next week those charging documents will be filed. We will obviously be working the county attorney will be working very closely with with Mr. Kirk’s family as as those documents and decisions are prepared and made. Thanks everyone.
Suspect in Charlie Kirk killing had become ‘more political’ and likely acted alone, authorities say
Updated: 10:57 AM CDT Sep 12, 2025
The man accused in the Charlie Kirk assassination had earlier expressed to family his opposition to the viewpoints of the conservative activist, the authorities said Friday in announcing an arrest in a targeted killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in the United States. Tyler Robinson, 22, had become “more political” in the run-up to the shooting and had indicated to a family friend afterwards that he was responsible, said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. He also cited as key pieces of evidence engravings on bullets found in a rifle believed used in the attack as well as chatting app messages attributed to the accused shooter that a roommate shared with law enforcement after the shooting.Watch the news conference on Robinson’s arrest in the video player aboveCox, a Republican, called Kirk’s killing an “attack on the American experiment,” and he urged a new generation to “choose a different path.”Robinson is believed to have acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said.Robinson’s arrest early Friday morning was disclosed by President Donald Trump, who said in a Fox News Channel interview that, “With a high degree of certainty, we have him.” Calls to telephone numbers listed for Robinson in public records rang unanswered.News of the arrest came hours after the FBI and state officials had pleaded for public help by releasing additional photographs of the suspect, a move that seemed to indicate that law enforcement was uncertain of the person’s whereabouts.Kirk was killed by a single shot in what police said was a targeted attack and Utah’s governor called a political assassination. Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA, based in Arizona.Authorities recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle near the scene of the shooting and had said the shooter jumped off a roof and vanished into the nearby woods afterward.Kirk had been speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of Wednesday’s shooting. He was taken to a local hospital and was pronounced dead hours later.“He wanted to help young people, and he didn’t deserve this,” Trump said Friday. “He was really a good person.”Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at the university in Orem.More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.Grisly video shared onlineThe attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a college-age appearance, fired one shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed the person then walking through the grass and across the street before disappearing.“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk’s family Thursday in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. Details have not been announced. Kirk was taking questions about gun violenceKirk became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence.The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour.”The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”Attendees barricaded themselves in classroomsSome attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw bipartisan condemnation as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.
OREM, Utah —
The man accused in the Charlie Kirk assassination had earlier expressed to family his opposition to the viewpoints of the conservative activist, the authorities said Friday in announcing an arrest in a targeted killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in the United States.
Tyler Robinson, 22, had become “more political” in the run-up to the shooting and had indicated to a family friend afterwards that he was responsible, said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. He also cited as key pieces of evidence engravings on bullets found in a rifle believed used in the attack as well as chatting app messages attributed to the accused shooter that a roommate shared with law enforcement after the shooting.
Watch the news conference on Robinson’s arrest in the video player above
FBI
Tyler Robinson, suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination
Cox, a Republican, called Kirk’s killing an “attack on the American experiment,” and he urged a new generation to “choose a different path.”
Robinson is believed to have acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said.
Robinson’s arrest early Friday morning was disclosed by President Donald Trump, who said in a Fox News Channel interview that, “With a high degree of certainty, we have him.”
Calls to telephone numbers listed for Robinson in public records rang unanswered.
News of the arrest came hours after the FBI and state officials had pleaded for public help by releasing additional photographs of the suspect, a move that seemed to indicate that law enforcement was uncertain of the person’s whereabouts.
Kirk was killed by a single shot in what police said was a targeted attack and Utah’s governor called a political assassination. Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA, based in Arizona.
Authorities recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle near the scene of the shooting and had said the shooter jumped off a roof and vanished into the nearby woods afterward.
Kirk had been speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of Wednesday’s shooting. He was taken to a local hospital and was pronounced dead hours later.
“He wanted to help young people, and he didn’t deserve this,” Trump said Friday. “He was really a good person.”
Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at the university in Orem.
More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.
Grisly video shared online
The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.
The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.
The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a college-age appearance, fired one shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed the person then walking through the grass and across the street before disappearing.
“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.
Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk’s family Thursday in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.
“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”
Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. Details have not been announced.
Kirk was taking questions about gun violence
Kirk became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.
One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence.
The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour.”
The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”
Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”
Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms
Some attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.
On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.
Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw bipartisan condemnation as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.