PROVO – New details have emerged in the Charlie Kirk assassination, with FBI Director Kash Patel confirming that suspect Tyler Robinson communicated his intent to kill the right-wing activist prior to the fatal shooting. Speaking on Fox News’ Fox & Friends, Patel disclosed that investigators believe Robinson authored both a text message and a physical note outlining his plan to “take out Charlie Kirk.” While the note was destroyed, forensic evidence confirmed its existence and contents were corroborated through interviews.
Separately, The Washington Post reported that Robinson sent a message via Discord to friends, apparently confessing to the crime shortly before his arrest. The message from Robinson’s account reportedly read, “It was me at UVU yesterday. I’m sorry for all of this.” Patel did not specify who received the text message or if anyone saw the written note. Investigators have not publicly identified a motive, and while Robinson is believed to have acted alone in the shooting, any role in plotting the assassination is being investigated.
Key Evidence Linking Suspect to Crime
Investigators have gathered significant forensic evidence linking Robinson directly to the crime. FBI Director Patel informed Fox News that DNA matching the suspect’s was found on a towel wrapped around the rifle, believed to be the murder weapon. Additionally, Robinson’s DNA was identified on a screwdriver located on the rooftop, which authorities consider the shooter’s sniper perch. These findings provide critical physical links between Robinson and the crime scene.
Charlie Kirk, an influential ally of US President Donald Trump and co-founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, was killed by a single rifle shot last Wednesday. The incident occurred during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, approximately 40 miles (65 km) south of Salt Lake City. Kirk’s death has resonated deeply, drawing national attention to the circumstances of his killing.
Suspect Profile and Ongoing Inquiry
Tyler Robinson, 22, is expected to be formally charged on Tuesday, making an initial court appearance via video from his jail cell. Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated Robinson has not cooperated with authorities. However, investigators have actively interviewed Robinson’s friends and family to determine the motive for the shooting, which remains a central focus.
Governor Cox indicated Robinson was raised in a Mormon household in a deeply conservative region, but his “ideology was very different from his family,” without elaborating. State records show Robinson registered to vote without a party affiliation and did not vote in the 2024 presidential election. Despite this, a relative told police Robinson had grown more political and expressed dislike for Kirk in a recent conversation, suggesting a diverging personal ideology.
National Reactions and Political Divide
The killing has shaken a country gripped by a spike in political violence, fueled by deepening polarization. Both sides universally condemned Kirk’s slaying as an indefensible act, but partisan differences emerged over the message’s framing. Some Republicans, including Trump, blamed liberal groups for Kirk’s murder without evidence. Democrats noted left-wing figures have also been targets of political violence. This disagreement extends to Kirk’s legacy. Supporters cast him as a charismatic figure who galvanized Trump support among younger voters, with President Trump honoring Kirk by ordering flags flown at half-staff. In contrast, civil rights advocates and liberals criticized Kirk as divisive, citing his embrace of Trump’s unsubstantiated election claims and derogatory rhetoric. Vice President JD Vance attributed the killing to “left-wing extremism” on Kirk’s podcast.
“By all accounts (Robinson) was a good kid until recently, when something went terribly wrong,” said Dally Bronson, a sheriff’s dispatcher who admired Kirk. Bronson added, speaking through tears, that Kirk’s “killing isn’t about one political side or the other – it’s about good and evil. The shooter encountered darkness online, he went into some black hole on the internet, and it’s something people our age fall into.”
Mourning and Memorials
In Utah, at the scene of Kirk’s assassination, scores of mourners have flocked to makeshift memorials, leaving flowers and handwritten notes. Many inscribed messages, including Bible verses, in chalk on campus sidewalks. House Speaker Mike Johnson and three other top House Republican leaders held a brief vigil for Kirk in Statuary Hall of the US Capitol, attended by lawmakers, friends, and supporters.
Background to the Assassination
Charlie Kirk was a prominent conservative activist, co-founding Turning Point USA and serving as an influential ally to President Donald Trump. His work focused on engaging younger voters, positioning him at the center of contentious political discourse. The event at Utah Valley University occurred in a climate of heightened political polarization and increasing instances of political violence. This backdrop of intense ideological divides provided the context for the tragic events surrounding Kirk’s assassination.
What’s Next in the Case
Tyler Robinson is slated for formal charges and an initial court appearance on Tuesday. The investigation remains active, with authorities continuing to seek a definitive motive for the killing and to determine if anyone else had a role in plotting the assassination. Despite Robinson’s non-cooperation, interviews with his friends and family are ongoing as law enforcement endeavors to fully understand the circumstances that led to Kirk’s death.
Key facts surrounding the investigation:
- Suspect Tyler Robinson reportedly planned the killing in a text message and a physical note.
- FBI found Robinson’s DNA on a rifle towel and a screwdriver at the sniper perch.
- Robinson allegedly sent a Discord message confessing to the crime before his arrest.
- Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist, was killed by a single rifle shot at Utah Valley University.
- Robinson is expected to be formally charged and make his first court appearance soon.
Source: [Source]
