Utah Governor Spencer Cox has announced the arrest of a suspect in the fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was taken into custody in Washington County on Thursday evening, close to the Arizona border.
Cox stated that a family friend of Robinson contacted authorities, indicating that Robinson had implied he committed the incident. Investigators also found that Robinson's clothing matched surveillance images and that messages sent via the Discord app linked him to the shooting.
Kirk was killed by a single bullet fired from a rooftop while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem. The 31-year-old was a co-founder of the hard-right youth organization Turning Point USA. Authorities recovered a high-powered Mauser rifle near the suspect's escape route, with an unfired bullet marked with the message 'hey, fascist, catch!'.
Other casings bore references to gaming culture and anti-fascist anthems. Cox noted that Robinson's roommate shared Discord messages where Robinson discussed retrieving a rifle from a drop point. However, Discord stated they found no evidence of planning or promotion of violence on their platform.
Robinson is not a UVU student but attended Utah State University briefly in 2021. He is currently enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College. Formal charges are expected to be filed on Tuesday by Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray.
