Jeffrey Gray, the Utah county prosecutor, has described the killing of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk as an “American tragedy” and laid out startling details from the investigation, including text messages in which the suspect confessed to the murder and asked his lover to stay silent.
In a 45-minute press conference, Gray announced that Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder and other offences, and that prosecutors will seek the death penalty. Gray said Robinson had become “consumed by hate” for Kirk and his politics, and had planned the killing “in a bit over a week” after learning Kirk would speak at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem.
According to Gray, Robinson sent his roommate—described as a “biological male who was involved in a romantic relationship” with him—a series of text messages on 10 September, the day of the shooting. The first message read, “Drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard,” where the roommate found a note stating, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
When the roommate asked if he was joking, Robinson replied that he was stuck near the crime scene due to police activity. “I am still ok my love,” he wrote, “but am stuck in Orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
The roommate then asked, “You weren’t the one who did it right?” to which Robinson responded, “I am, I’m sorry.” When asked why, Robinson said, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” Gray revealed that Robinson’s mother had said her son had “become more political and had started to lean more to the left” over the past year.
The murder weapon—a bolt-action rifle belonging to Robinson’s grandfather—was later found in a field near the university, wrapped in a towel with three unspent rounds engraved with the words “Hey Facist! [sic] Catch!” and “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao”. Gray emphasised that he alone decided on the charges, despite calls from Donald Trump and others for “vengeance and retribution”.
