United States authorities say they have arrested the man suspected of shooting dead right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk earlier this week, capping off an intensive manhunt in a case that has inflamed already toxic political tensions across the US.
In a news briefing Friday morning, Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced, “We got him,” and then identified the suspect in custody as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
Cox said that Robinson, in custody since Thursday night, is believed to have acted alone in what he called a “political assassination”.
Cox said a family friend of Robinson’s contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed or implied he was responsible for the shooting.
Cox also said investigators uncovered messages from Robinson on the messaging application Discord, referring to the rifle he used and engravings on bullets that suggest the killing was politically motivated.
The Utah governor noted that a relative of Robinson, interviewed by investigators, said Robinson had become more political in recent years and spoken negatively about Kirk, who cofounded the conservative organisation Turning Point USA and was a staunch ally of US President Donald Trump.
He said Robinson will be charged soon.
Before the shooting, Robinson was captured in surveillance footage wearing clothing that matched what he was wearing when Washington County investigators later encountered him in-person on September 12, according to Cox.
FBI Director Kash Patel, also speaking at the news briefing, added that authorities have seized forensic evidence and are evaluating it, stressing that the investigation is ongoing.
He said the agency and its partners “are proud to stand here today together to bring justice to the family of Charlie Kirk and honour his memory”.
‘Choose a different path’
Cox said Kirk’s killing has made him “as angry as I have ever been” and encouraged youth to chart a healthier political path.
“To my young friends out there, you are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option, but … we can choose a different path,” Cox said. “Your generation has an opportunity to build a culture that is very different than what we are suffering through right now, not by pretending differences don’t matter, but by embracing our differences and having those hard conversations.”
The announcement of Robinson’s arrest came shortly after US President Donald Trump gave the first indication Kirk’s alleged assailant had been caught, saying, “I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him.”
Speaking on Fox News, Trump said that a minister, who is also linked to law enforcement, turned in the suspect to authorities. Trump said that he hoped the suspect would get “the death penalty”.
Trump also said he plans to attend the funeral of Kirk, who was shot on Wednesday as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Trump paid tribute to Kirk, calling him “the finest person” who was “like a son” to him. He said Kirk was “a brilliant guy” who helped him win the election with TikTok and energised young voters. “I’ve never seen young people go to one person like they did to Charlie,” Trump added.
The assassination offers the latest example of how ordinary security measures can be defeated in an era of escalating political violence, when anyone associated with the political process is a potential target.
Trump said political events must continue despite safety concerns. “You have to go forward,” he said when asked about appearances getting cancelled after Kirk’s death.
Trump suggested the suspect’s father had driven him to a police station and handed him over to authorities.
Kirk, known for inviting debates with college students at events across the US, has been credited with significantly boosting Republican support among younger voters. He was killed moments before leading a debate titled “Prove Me Wrong” at Utah Valley University, about 65km (40 miles) south of Salt Lake City.