The suspect in the shooting of Charlie Kirk, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson from Utah, allegedly criticized the conservative influencer in a recent conversation, according to authorities. At the time of the incident, Robinson was living with his family.
Robinson was apprehended late Thursday after a family friend alerted the authorities, officials reported on Friday.
Investigators have yet to disclose a motive. Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox stated that a family member told law enforcement that Robinson had recently discussed Kirk’s appearance at Utah Valley University, where the shooting occurred on Tuesday, during a dinner.
Stay informed with the latest updates. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“They discussed their dislike for him and his viewpoints,” Cox mentioned. The family member also noted that Robinson had become more politically active in recent years.
State records reviewed by Reuters show that Robinson has no criminal history. Although he was a registered voter, he was not aligned with any political party according to state voter records.
It appears he was an “inactive” voter, meaning he had not participated in recent elections nor responded to county clerk mailings.
More details about Robinson’s life continued to emerge on Friday.
He briefly attended Utah State University in Logan for one semester in 2021, as confirmed by the school to Reuters. It remains unclear why he left college.
In a Facebook video posted by his mother, Robinson reads a letter offering him a four-year scholarship from Utah State University while she cheers. Another post revealed he scored 34 on the ACT, placing him in the top 1% of test takers according to Princeton Review.
At his arrest, Robinson was residing at his family’s home in Washington County, Utah, near the Nevada border, Cox said.
His parents’ Facebook posts mention he has two younger brothers. His mother works as a social worker at a non-profit healthcare organization, but his father’s occupation is unspecified.
Mother’s Facebook Posts Highlight Family Moments
His mother’s Facebook posts, mostly deleted on Friday, showcased family moments: trips to Alaska, the Caribbean, and Disneyland; celebrating school events, Halloween costumes, and pet rabbits; expressing pride in her sons’ academic progress. None of the posts appeared political.
Some posts feature Robinson and his brothers with guns, common in a state with lenient firearm laws.
“Driving away without him was one of the hardest things I’ve done,” his mother wrote in a post about moving him to college in 2021. “He’s excited to embark on this journey, and it’s going to be amazing for him!”
On Thursday night, Cox noted, a family member contacted a friend who then called the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed or hinted at involvement in the incident.
Robinson’s roommate provided messages from the Discord platform where Robinson described leaving a rifle in a bush wrapped in a towel, matching the weapon found near the shooting scene.
Robinson was detained at Utah County jail in Spanish Fork, about 12 miles (19 km) from the university where Kirk was shot. He has yet to be formally charged.
