What to know about Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk shooting suspect: How he was caught
Authorities have taken Tyler Robinson, 22, into custody. He is suspected of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Tyler Robinson, the man suspected of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a campus event at a Utah university, had eluded authorities for more than a day.
However, after his father recognized him from photographs distributed by authorities, a series of events ultimately led to the 22-year-old Robinson being taken into custody.
While there are many unanswered questions about the killing, which officials have called a “political assassination,” information from officials and those who know Robinson have begun to assemble a portrait of the alleged gunman.
Here’s what we know about Robinson, how the shooting was carried out and how he was caught.
How Robinson was caught
President Donald Trump initially announced the arrest, stating on “Fox and Friends” on Friday morning, “I think, with high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”
Authorities confirmed the news during a press conference on Friday morning, with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox stating in opening remarks, “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We got him.”
Cox said that after Robinson’s father recognized his son in the distributed photographs, he told Robinson to turn himself in. Robinson initially said no but later changed his mind, officials said.
The father then called a youth pastor, who is also a U.S. Marshals task force officer. The officer advised the father to have Robinson stay in place. This information was then conveyed to the FBI.
Cox thanked Robinson’s family, “who did the right thing.”
During the press conference, Cox said that when law enforcement identified Robinson, they also interviewed Robinson’s roommate, who showed them a message between Robinson and his roommate.
“The content of these messages included messages affiliated with the contact Tyler, stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush,” Cox said.
The messages also referred to engraving bullets and a mention of a scope and the rifle being unique.
The rifle is an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle wrapped in a towel, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News. The location of the firearm appears to match the suspect’s route of travel, the sources said.
FBI Director Kash Patel said that law enforcement caught Robinson within 33 hours of the shooting and were on scene when the shooting occurred within 16 minutes.
“This is a very much an ongoing investigation, as the governor said, and we will continue to work with state and local authorities to develop the investigation to provide them the evidence they need for their ongoing prosecutions,” Patel said.
What movements of the suspected shooter reveal
Cox said on Friday that surveillance video footage from Utah Valley University reviewed by investigators showed Robinson arriving on campus at 8:29 a.m. ET on the morning of the shooting, driving a gray Dodge Challenger.
Robinson was wearing a plain maroon T-shirt, light-colored shorts, light-colored shoes and a black hat with a white logo, according to Cox.
Officials stated that Robinson changed into dark clothing on campus and, after the shooting, changed back into the original clothes.
The video appeared to show the suspect walking with an unusual gait resembling a limp. Investigators believe that’s because he had the rifle hidden under his clothes, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
“Prior to the shooting, Suspect appears to walk with a stiff, right leg and at a relatively slow pace. Suspect’s ability to bend his right leg appears to be restricted,” Utah County’s affidavit read.
The affidavit later notes that as Robinson approached the shooting position, his limp was “absent.”
Investigators believe that’s because the suspect was no longer concealing the gun in his clothing, the sources said.
They also believe he also did not have the weapon concealed in his clothing as he fled the scene, according to sources.
What writing on shell casings said
Cox also described what was engraved on the casings found on the scene.
Of the three unfired casings, one read: “Hey fascist! CATCH!” with an arrow symbol pointing up, then to the right, and then three arrows pointing down.
Another unfired casing read “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!” seemingly in reference to Italian anti-fascist song popularized following World War II and another unfired casing read “If you read this, you are GAY Lmao.”
The meanings of the writings on the casings are unclear. It is also unclear if the writings are meant to be a misdirection or distraction for investigators.
Apart from a reference to fascism, which Cox said “speaks for itself,” he did not elaborate on the meanings of the other writings.
The motives of the suspect remain unclear.
Prior to being identified, authorities and a former FBI agent previously said they believed the subject to be a college-aged individual with an apparent proficiency in handling a high-powered rifle and likely knew the layout of the university where the homicide occurred.
During a news conference on Thursday morning, Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, said investigators believe they recovered the weapon used in what the governor of Utah on Wednesday called a “political assassination.”
What we know about Robinson
At the press conference, Cox said Robinson had become “more political in recent years.”
Robinson mentioned during a dinner conversation with a family member that Kirk would be visiting Utah Valley University, according to Cox. Robinson and the family members discussed why they didn’t like Kirk and his viewpoints, and the family member stated Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said.
Officials said Robinson was not enrolled at Utah Valley University and lived in Washington County, Utah, with his family.
Robinson is currently enrolled at Dixie Technical College in Utah, a trade school where he was purportedly working toward becoming an electrician, according to two people who know Robinson but asked not to be identified.
One of the individuals told ABC News that Robinson was not in class on the day of the Kirk shooting.
Prior to Dixie, Robinson attended Pine View High School in St. George, graduating in 2021, according to an online graduation video reviewed by ABC News. He then attended Utah State University for one semester, in 2021, according to a spokesperson for the university.
A classmate who says they have known Robinson for years told ABC News they are “stunned” to hear Robinson may have carried out this attack, describing him as “friendly” but “a little more reserved,” adding that they “never really heard him talk political.”
The classmate added that they never observed Robinson expressing any outward “hate or malice towards other people.”
“I never heard him talk politically,” said the classmate, who emphasized that they were not close friends. “I never heard him talk about guns.”
What Robinson neighbors said
Neighbors of Robinson’s parents in Washington, Utah, described the Robinson family as loving and quiet.
Kristin Schwiermann, who lives near the Robinsons, said she was the head custodian at his former school, Riverside Elementary, along with being his childhood neighbor.
“At that age, he was not as quiet as he was now, but he was very active, had a few friends at school, and stayed to himself mostly, but very, very smart,” she told ABC News, describing him as a “good kid.”
She described the Robinsons as “very loving” parents, adding “They just seem like a very hard-working, down-to-earth family.”
Alenea Shaw, another neighbor, recalled a time about 10 years ago when Robinson was eager to earn money and did odd jobs, like washing the car and cleaning up the yard. “He was just a cute little boy,” she said.
She said the family was not very social and kept to themselves.
“They were just very quiet,” she said.
The manhunt for Robinson
During a news conference on Thursday evening, prior to identifying Robinson, state and federal officials released video of the person of interest jumping down from the roof of a building on the campus.
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said the suspect was wearing “distinct clothing” that could help in his identification, including Converse sneakers.
He said the person seen in the video jumping from the roof left shoe impressions and a palm print.
“We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual,” Mason said at the news conference.
Authorities had received more than 7,000 tips and leads and completed some 200 interviews, Cox said.
Bohls said the weapon, a high-powered bolt-action rifle, was found discarded in a wooded area near Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, and is being analyzed at an FBI laboratory.
The gun and cartridges recovered were to be flown to the FBI’s main laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for the most technologically advanced forensic analysis, law enforcement sources told ABC News. The focus is to look for any latent fingerprints and DNA, the sources said.
Investigators also collected a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm prints for analysis, Bohls said.
Mason said that investigators are also studying “good video footage” of the shooter that they have used to track his movements before and after the shooting.
Following Thursday’s news conference, the FBI in Salt Lake City released surveillance images of the person of interest wanted in connection with the shooting. The images showed a person who appears to be a white male, wearing all dark clothing, including a dark long-sleeved collarless top with what appears to be an image on the front that includes an American flag. The man in the images is also wearing a dark ball cap and sunglasses.
The FBI announced a $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the capture of the suspect.
Mason said investigators believe the suspect arrived at the UVU campus at 11:52 a.m. local time, about 28 minutes before Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative grassroots organization Turning Point USA, was shot.
Mason said the deadly shot was fired from a building a substantial distance from where Kirk was speaking to a crowd that authorities estimate was about 3,000 people. He did not disclose which building the shooter fired from.
“We have tracked his movements onto the campus, through stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof to the shooting location,” Mason said. “After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building, and fled off of the campus into a neighborhood.”
He said investigators combed the neighborhood for the suspect and contacted residents with doorbell cameras to analyze.
Brad Garrett, a retired FBI agent and an ABC News contributor, said the evidence investigators have shared so far paints a picture of a suspect who planned the shooting down to the last detail, including discarding the possible murder weapon along his escape path.
“He probably did that [because] he didn’t want to be seen carrying a weapon, running through a neighborhood, or walking through a neighborhood,” Garrett said.
Garrett said the discovery of the killer’s palm print can also be helpful.
“If he’s ever had a full set of prints, where you print the entire hand, let’s say he’d been in the military or some aspect of the government or a contractor, they may have those,” Garrett said. “That’s a long shot, but they may have those.”
ABC News’ Megan Christie, Laura Romero, Mike Levine, Lucien Bruggeman and Tonya Simpson contributed to this report.
Charlie Kirk shooting suspect ‘confessed to killing’
13 September 2025 9:08am BST
Key moments
5:15pmPictured: Charlie Kirk’s body arrives in Phoenix on Air Force Two3:27pmUtah governor: Kirk killing is ‘attack on America’3:08pmRobinson had grown ‘more political’, family says2:18pmSuspect named as Utah resident Tyler Robinson1:40pmSuspect’s father turned him in, says Trump
The man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk reportedly confessed he had killed the Maga influencer.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested on Thursday and is expected to be charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice.
According to Spencer Cox, the governor of Utah, Mr Robinson told a family friend he was behind the shooting of the 31-year-old father of two.
After the family friend contacted law enforcement, Mr Robinson’s father convinced him to turn himself in.
His dislike for Kirk, a Trump ally who spread the president’s conservative message at college campuses around the country, was said to have been made clear at a family dinner.
A family member told the FBI Mr Robinson had grown increasingly political recently, Utah’s republican governor Spencer Cox said at a press conference on Friday.
He had expressed a hatred for the Kirk in the days before the attack. He also mentioned that the political commentator would soon be coming to town to give a talk at Utah Valley University.
Wartime anti-fascist slogans were found engraved on unused bullet casings found after the shooting.
One read: “Bella ciao” – the title of a Second World War Italian anti-fascist song.
Another read: “Hey fascist! Catch!”
A third read: “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”
Mr Cox said the casings were found near a rifle Robinson is alleged to have used to kill Kirk 20 minutes into his address to students.
Officers found a high-powered bolt-action rifle containing one spent cartridge and three unused rounds in the woods near the campus.
The alleged shooter, who had studied electrical engineering for one term at university before dropping out, is said to have discussed the shooting on the Discord messaging app.
He is alleged to have discussed details of the bullet engravings, as well as retrieving a rifle from a drop point and stashing it in a bush.
“The content of these included messages affiliated with the contact Tyler, stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush, messages related to visually watching the area where a rifle was left, and a message referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel,” Mr Cox added.
Kieran Kelly. Connor Stringer Deputy US Editor
What happened today
We are closing our live coverage for today, thank you for joining us. Here are the latest developments:
- The man accused of killing Charlie Kirk on a Utah university campus has been identified as Tyler Robinson. His capture follows a two-day manhunt for the alleged gunman, who fired a single lethal shot before jumping off a roof overlooking the event and escaping.
- One of Mr Robinson’s family members told police he had become “more political” in recent months. In a previous family dinner, Mr Robinson spoke about how much he did not like Kirk and how he was “spreading hate”, according to Mr Cox.
- Anti-fascist slogans were inscribed on two of the unused bullet casings found after the fatal shooting, US authorities said Friday. One cartridge had written on it, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”, and another featured “Bella ciao,” apparently a reference to a World War II-era Italian anti-fascist song, said Utah governor Spencer Cox.
- Robinson’s father told him to turn himself in, reports suggest. Law enforcement sources said that Matt Robinson recognised his son from images released by the FBI.
- Donald Trump said he hoped that Kirk’s killer received the death penalty, describing the conservative activist as the “finest person…he didn’t deserve this”.
Hundreds gather in London for Kirk vigil
Robert White writes:
Hundreds of people gathered at a vigil in memory of Charlie Kirk in central London on Friday evening.
Crowds gathered opposite Downing Street at 6pm, waving Union Flags, St George’s crosses and the stars and stripes.
New Zealanders at the vigil, which was next to a statue of Field Marshal Montgomery, performed a haka, the traditional Maori dance, before the Lord’s Prayer was recited.
Several Maga caps were worn by members of the crowd, while one person in attendance raised a sign reading “We are all Charlie”.
More than 20 police were patrolling the peaceful vigil, which then moved to the statue of Winston Churchill outside the Houses of Parliament.
Alleged killer changed clothes to evade detection, officials say
Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer changed his clothes to evade detection, officials said.
Tyler Robinson was pictured on CCTV arriving at Utah Valley University on Wednesday morning dressed in a plain maroon t-shirt, light-coloured shorts, a black hat with a white logo and light-coloured shoes, Utah governor Spencer Cox said earlier.
Pictures shared by the FBI later showed that he had changed into a black t-shirt with blue jeans and blue converse.
When encountered by investigators on Thursday evening, Robinson was wearing clothes “consistent” with those on video, the governor said.
Alleged killer’s father told him to turn himself in
Alleged killer Tyler Robinson’s father told him to turn himself in, reports suggest.
Law enforcement sources said that Matt Robinson recognised his son from images released by the FBI.
They added that his father urged him to turn himself in after he confessed to the killing.
Kash Patel the FBI director earlier announced that Robinson was taken into custody on Thursday evening.
Pictured: Charlie Kirk’s body arrives in Phoenix on Air Force Two
Democratic congresswoman who was shot in 2011 pleads for tighter gun laws
Gabby Giffords, the Democratic congresswoman who was shot in 2011, pleaded for tighter gun laws in a Time magazine oped following Charlie Kirk’s murder.
She recalled the attempt on Donald Trump’s life and the murder of Democrat politician Melissa Hortman.
“Our stories are unique, but what Charlie Kirk, president Trump, Melissa Hortman and I all have in common is that someone who wanted to kill us had a gun,” she wrote.
“I was gutted to learn that Charlie Kirk died yesterday in Utah – and it’s also true that in Utah, someone dies from gun violence every 20 hours. Too many families know the pain of having a loved one killed by guns, in that state and across the country.”
Utah, she added, had lax gun laws and had seen fatal shootings increase by 45 per cent between 2014 and 2023.
Alleged killer had no criminal history and was an ‘inactive voter’
More details are emerging about Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
He does not appear to have any criminal history, according to state records reviewed by Reuters. He was a registered voter but was not affiliated with a political party, according to state voter records.
Records show he was an “inactive” voter, which means he had not cast a ballot in recent elections and had not responded to a mailing from the county clerk’s office.
Robinson briefly attended Utah State University in Logan for one semester in 2021, the school confirmed to Reuters. It was not immediately clear why he left the college.
In a video posted by his mother on Facebook, Robinson can be seen reading aloud from a letter offering him a four-year scholarship from Utah State University. Another post said Robinson had earned a score of 34 on the ACT college entrance exam, which would put him in the top 1 per cent of test takers, according to the Princeton Review test preparation company.
At the time of his arrest, he was living at his family’s home in Washington County, in the south-west corner of Utah near the Nevada border, Utah governor Spencer Cox said.
He has two younger brothers, according to his parents’ Facebook posts. His mother is a social worker at a non-profit healthcare company, while his father’s occupation was not immediately clear.
Parents of alleged killer were Republican voters
The parents of the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk were Republicans voters, records shows.
Voter registration records seen by the Telegraph show that Tyler Robinson’s mother, Amber, registered as a Republican voter in 2018, during Joe Biden’s presidency.
His father, Matt, registered as a Republican voter in 2000, records show.
Both registrations allegedly remain active.
Trump says son Barron ‘was very hurt’ by Charlie Kirk’s murder
US president Trump has said his 19-year-old son Barron “was very hurt” by the death of Charlie Kirk.
“He was very hurt when he saw this. But, I mean, everybody was,” Mr Trump said on “Fox & Friends.”
Mr Trump said his youngest child had admired Kirk and once asked for an introduction.
“Barron came to me and he said, ‘Dad, I’d like to meet somebody that you know, Charlie Kirk.’ … I thought he was gonna say he wanted to meet like King Charles or something… and he came back said, ‘That guy’s great, Dad. That guy’s great.’ It was cute,” Mr Trump said.
Pictured: JD Vance carries Charlie Kirk’s coffin
US vice president JD Vance has been pictured carrying Charlie Kirk’s coffin.
Mr Vance flew to Utah to meet with Kirk’s family and to fly his casket to Arizona, where he lived with his wife and family, on Air Force Two.
Vance: ‘We took a big step this morning in getting justice for Charlie’
US vice president JD Vance has said that a “big step” was taken this morning in “getting justice for Charlie”.
Mr Vance thanked Utah officials and the FBI for their efforts to track down a suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing.
“This is a big breakthrough, and everyone who helped – from the law enforcement professionals to the people giving tips – deserves our credit and gratitude,” he wrote on X.
“We took a big step this morning in getting justice for Charlie, and for his family,” he added. “Thanks be to God for that.”
Anti-fascist slogans were inscribed on Kirk killer’s ammunition
Anti-fascist slogans were inscribed on two of the unused bullet casings found after the fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, US authorities said Friday.
One cartridge had written on it, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”, and another featured “Bella ciao,” apparently a reference to a World War II-era Italian anti-fascist song, said Utah governor Spencer Cox.
Pictured: Kirk assassination suspect wore Trump costume
A photo circulating online shows the Charlie Kirk assassination suspect, Tyler Robinson, dressed up in a Donald Trump costume on Halloween in 2017. He is pictured next to a man dressed up as a gunman.
Utah governor: ‘Watershed moment for America’
One journalist asked whether Charlie Kirk’s death represented a “watershed moment” for the US.
“This is a watershed moment, but we don’t yet know what kind,” Spencer Cox, the Utah governor, replied.
He said this moment “feels a lot like the late 60s” and described social media as a “cancer”, adding that humans are not “biologically capable of processing… violent imagery”.
No information that would lead to further arrests
Spencer Cox, the Republican governor of Utah, has said that there is currently no information that would lead to further arrests.
Utah governor: Kirk killing is ‘attack on America’
Spencer Cox, the governor of Utah, has described the killing of Charlie Kirk as “an attack on the America experiment”.
“This is certainly about the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk,” he said, adding it is “also much bigger than an attack on an individual”.
“It is an attack on all of us. It is an attack on the American experiment. It is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been and, and who we could be in better times.”
Emotional Patel pays tribute to Kirk
An emotional Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, has paid tribute to his “friend” Charlie Kirk.
“Rest now brother, we have the watch, and I’ll see you in Valhalla,” Mr Patel said.
Mr Patel described the “large” crime scene at Utah Valley University and thanked local and state authorities, who he said “processed the crime scene rapidly”.
The FBI director said he “had the ability to walk through that crime scene, and walk through the steps the suspect took to learn more about what was needed and what resources were needed to bear to create a full picture for the FBI and leadership back in Washington”.
He added: “We will continue to process evidence as we see it and as we collect it.”
‘Hey fascist’: Messages engraved on bullets revealed
Mr Cox has also just confirmed that bullets found in the weapon used by the gunman had messages engraved on them.
One message on a fired casing read: “Notices. Bulges. OWO. What’s this?”
Suspect had grown ‘more political’
Spencer Cox, the Republican governor of Utah, has confirmed that Tyler Robinson has been arrested in connection with the death of Charlie Kirk.
“Good morning ladies and gentleman, we got him,” Mr Cox said.
One of Mr Robinson’s family members told police he had become “more political” in recent months.
In a previous family dinner, Mr Robinson spoke about how much he did not like Kirk and how he was “spreading hate”, according to Mr Cox.
Several posts from Mr Robinson on Discord included details on the location of the rifle, as well as technical details about the weapon, such as its scope, Mr Cox added.
Press conference begins
The press conference in Utah has just got underway.
We’ll bring you updates as they come in. You can also watch the conference at the top of this page.
White House forced to defend FBI director
The White House has been forced to defend Kash Patel, the FBI director, who we’re about to hear from in Utah.
Mr Patel had wrongly claimed that the FBI had arrested the suspect in the shooting before backtracking.
The White House said: “Director Patel is working night and day on this case. Anyone who doubts his resolve and dedication – especially when Charlie was such a close friend to him – simply is using this extremely sad moment in a disgusting act of political gamesmanship.
“The focus is justice, and this killer will face the full wrath of the justice system.”
What we’ve learned
If you’re just joining us, here’s what we’ve learned this afternoon:
- Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin is in custody after being turned in by his father
- Donald Trump revealed the news while on Fox & Friends this morning
- Tyler Robinson has been named as a suspect in the killing of Kirk
- The 22-year-old is a Utah resident, according to police sources
We’ll bring you updates shortly from Kash Patel’s press conference.
Suspect named as Utah resident Tyler Robinson
The man accused of killing Charlie Kirk on a Utah university campus has been identified as Tyler Robinson.
His capture follows a two-day manhunt for the alleged gunman, who fired a single lethal shot before jumping off a roof overlooking the event and escaping.
Donald Trump, the US president, said the suspect’s father helped to turn his son in after the FBI released two pictures of a “person of interest”.
Trump will attend Kirk’s funeral
Donald Trump has confirmed he will attend Charlie Kirk’s funeral.
The president had come under fire after refusing to attend the funeral of Melissa Hortman, the Democrat politician who was shot dead alongside her husband in their home in Minnesota. Police said the killings were politically motivated.
Press conference delayed
A press conference involving Kash Patel, the FBI director, was expected to start at 9am but has been delayed by around 30 minutes, according to one official testing the microphones.
We’ll bring you the latest updates as they come in.
FBI director to give update
Kash Patel will hold a press conference at 9am ET (2pm in the UK), according to Fox News.
The FBI director is expected to give an update on the alleged assassin who is said to have been turned by his father.
You will be able to watch the press conference at the top of this page.
Suspect’s father turned him in, says Trump
Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin was turned in by his father, according to Mr Trump, who is still speaking on Fox News.
The president said the “person” who recognised the suspect was a “person of faith, a minister”.
“The father convinced the son,” the president said, adding that he may need to be corrected.
Trump hopes Kirk’s killer gets death penalty
Mr Trump said he hoped that Kirk’s killer received the death penalty, describing the conservative activist as the “finest person…he didn’t deserve this”.
Kirk was shot in front of 3,000 spectators on Wednesday afternoon as he debated university students at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Federal investigators and police on Thursday released photos and video of the person they believed to be responsible for Kirk’s death.
New CCTV footage released yesterday showed the alleged assassin running across a roof at the university shortly after Kirk was killed.
