Journalism of Courage
A suspect was arrested late on Thursday in southern Utah in connection with the fatal shooting of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Friday morning, identifying the man as Tyler Robinson.
“We got him,” the Utah governor said at a press conference.
Tyler Robinson, 22, has been apprehended. “We got him,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said. A family member reached out to a friend, who contacted law enforcement after Robinson allegedly confessed or implied he committed the shooting.
Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University.
A family member told investigators that Robinson had become “more political in recent years.” He reportedly said that “Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate.”
“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.”
Video footage showed Robinson arriving on campus in a Dodge Challenger at around 08:29. Cox said investigators found him wearing clothing consistent with that in the video: “plain maroon t-shirt, light-coloured shorts, a black hat with a white logo and light-coloured shoes.”
Cox also added that Robinson was not a student at UVU, which contradicted some earlier media reports.
Investigators recovered a bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel. Bullet casings had messages including: “Hey fascist! Catch!”, “o bella ciao, bella ciao” and “if you read this you are gay lmao.”
Cox added that the rifle found was determined to be a Mauser model 9836 caliber.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the crime scene was “large” but processed quickly. Thousands of leads and tips are being followed, and forensic evidence has already been evaluated. “That’s why we went so public, so fast, and we’re so transparent. We’re committed to that transparency,” Patel said.
Patel also confirmed that Robinson was taken into custody at 10pm local time on Thursday 11 September.
Utah Governor added that he believes shooter acted alone: “We do not have information at this time that would lead to additional arrests, but the investigation is ongoing.” Robinson is currently held at Utah County jail.
Cox called the killing “an attack on all of us. It is an attack on the American experiment, it is an attack on our ideals.” “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,” he added.
He urged young people to build a culture that embraces differences, saying: “Your generation has an opportunity to build a culture that is very different than what we're suffering through right now.”
Donald Trump had earlier said on Friday morning that someone suspected of Kirk’s killing was now in custody. He also added that he believes Kirk’s killer should receive the death penalty.
“In Utah you have death penalty, and a good governor there, I have gotten to know him. The governor is intent on the death penalty in this case and he should be,” Trump said.
