Charlie Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson charged with murder; prosecutors seek death penalty

What happens now that a 22-year-old Utah man has been charged with the murder of Charlie Kirk?

A look at the possible next steps in the prosecution.

What are the next steps in prosecution of man suspected in Charlie Kirk assassination?

07:53

An attorney conducting the search for a public defender to represent Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson said that one could be lined up by tomorrow.

Several attorneys have already met Robinson, attorney Greg Skordas said.

Skordas said today that there are three or four candidates. The search is being conducted because the local public defender is not contracted to do death penalty work, he said.

A Utah man who was initially questioned in the aftermath of Kirk's shooting has been arrested on suspicion of unrelated charges, including obstruction of justice, the Utah County Sheriff's Office said today.

George Zinn, 71, was being held on one count of second-degree obstruction of justice and four counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, sheriff's office said. Zinn has no connection to the shooting, it said.

Police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause that after Kirk was shotm Zinn began yelling, “I shot him, now shoot me” and was arrested.

Zinn was taken to a hospital for a condition after his arrest.

“During this time, George made statements to the officer that he was glad he said he shot the individual so the real suspect could get away,” police wrote in the affidavit.

The sexual exploitation charges stem from images allegedly found on Zinn’s phone when the device was searched after his arrest.

The sheriff’s office said that investigators observed “over 20 images of children ranging from 5 to 12 years old in various stages of undress and sexual posing” and a text thread in which the images were shared with others.

Zinn has not yet been formally charged but was arrested on the counts, according to court records. Online court records did not list an attorney for him this afternoon.

The Utah judge overseeing Tyler Robinson’s prosecution issued a protective order today for Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.

The order bars Robinson from contacting her and warns of additional charges if he violates the order.

Robinson made his first appearance via videolink in a Utah County courtroom today. He sat emotionless as Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf Jr. read the charges against him.

Robinson spoke only when asked to state his name. He appeared to nod when Graf told him he would remain jailed without bail.

He has not yet been appointed an attorney. His next hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 29.

Suspect in Charlie Kirk killing makes first court appearance

01:10

Prosecutors in a charging document say that after the shooting, Tyler Robinson's roommate received a text message from him: “drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard.” The roommate found a note that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

After reading the note, the roommate responded, “What?????????????? You’re joking, right????”

Robinson: I am still ok my love, 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.

Roommate: you weren’t the one who did it right????

Robinson: I am, I’m sorry

Tyler Robinson engraved his ammunition with references to internet memes, according to law enforcement, leaving investigators and onlookers curious about their deeper meaning. But text messages revealed in newly released charging documents suggest that the references may have been a form of trolling rather than a sign of motive or ideology.

"remember how I was engraving bullets?" Robinson is said to have written to his roommate, according to the documents. "The f----in messages are mostly a big meme, if I see 'notices bulge uwu' on fox new I might have a stroke."

On Friday, the bullet engravings became a heated topic. Along with the "uwu" meme referenced — which is a joke about the furry community — another engraving appeared to reference a video game, reading, "Hey fascist! Catch! ↑ → ↓↓↓." The note appeared to be a reference to the game "Helldivers 2," which is a satirical take on fascism, but the mention of fascism quickly led many to speculate that it was a political message meant for Charlie Kirk.

Other engravings included “Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao,” a reference to lyrics in an Italian song that is anti-fascist in nature and has become a meme, and one that read "If you read this, you are gay LMAO."

In the moments after Tyler Robinson's loved ones figured out he might have been Charlie Kirk's killer, the suspect "implied that he planned to take his own life," prosecutors said.

The 22-year-old's mother and father called their son, asking what he knew about the crime, officials said.

"Robinson implied that he planned to take his own life. Robinson’s parents were able to convince him to meet at their home," Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said.

"As they discussed the situation, Robinson implied that he was the shooter and stated that he couldn't go to jail and just wanted to end it," Gray said.

Before the shooting, Robinson appeared to mock Kirk's choice of speaking at Utah Valley University, prosecutors said.

Robinson and his father had been growing apart in their political views as apparent in repeated conversations between the two, Utah County prosecutor Jeff Gray said.

"In one conversation before the shooting, Robinson mentioned that Charlie Kirk would be holding an event at UVU, which Robinson said was a stupid venue for the event," Gray told reporters. "Robinson accused Kirk of spreading hate."

Tyler Robinson told his roommate that he had planned the shooting for a little over a week and had hoped to keep it a secret “until I died of old age,” Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said.

The roommate told authorities that Robinson texted on Sept. 10 and told the roommate to look under a keyboard.

“Drop what you’re doing, look under my keyboard,” the message read, according to Gray.

Gray said a note was found under the keyboard that stated: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”

After reading the note, the roommate texted Robinson and asked if he was joking, Gray said. Robinson allegedly responded: “I am still OK, my love. … Shouldn’t be long till I can home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest, I had hoped to keep this secret until I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”

The roommate then asked Robinson if he was involved in the shooting. Robinson confirmed that he was and said he intended to grab his rifle, but the area was on lockdown, according to the messages Gray detailed at the news conference.

When the roommate asked why he did it, Robinson allegedly responded: “I had enough of his hate. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

Robinson instructed the roommate to delete their text conversation, Gray said.

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect's text messages with roommate reveal alleged motivation

04:50

The suspect had become increasingly concerned about gay and trans rights, loved ones have told investigators, prosecutors said.

"When asked why he did it, Robinson explained there is too much evil in the guy, referring to Charlie Kirk," said Jeff Gray, the chief Utah County prosecutor.

And in a text chat with his roommate, Robinson allegedly said he had to kill Kirk when the opportunity presented itself.

"I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out," Robinson told his roommate, according to Gray. "If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence."

Suspect said Charlie Kirk ‘spreads too much hate,’ prosecutors say

01:01

The shooting suspect’s mother recognized Tyler Robinson from a surveillance picture released by law enforcement, the Utah County attorney said.

When questioned by his mother, Robinson allegedly told her that he had been at home sick, Jeff Gray said at a news conference.

“Robinson’s mother expressed concern to her husband that the suspect shooter looked like Robinson. Robinson’s father agreed,” he said.

Robinson, with his parents and a family friend, went to the Washington County Sheriff's Office to turn himself in.

The suspect's mother said that over the last year, Robinson had become “more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-gay and trans rights oriented,” Gray said.

Gray said Robinson’s mother also told authorities that he had begun to date his roommate, who “was transitioning genders.”

Suspect’s parents played key role in bringing him in

03:44

The suspect, Robinson, might have concealed the murder weapon in his pants as he walked on campus, tipping off authorities with his "unusual gait," a prosecutor said.

"As he proceeds across the campus, he is seen walking with an unusual gait," Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray told reporters.

"The suspect walks with very little bending in his right leg, consistent with a rifle being hidden in his pants."

Tyler Robinson was formally charged today with felony aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of felony obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.

“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Jeff Gray, the Utah County attorney, said at an afternoon news conference. “Charlie Kirk was murdered while engaging in one of our most sacred and cherished American rights, the bedrock of our democratic republic, the free exchange of ideas and a search for truth, understanding and a more perfect union.”

“It is also an offense against the state and to the peace and enjoyment of the people of Utah and of all those who visit here,” he continued.

Gray said he will file a notice of intent to seek the death penalty. Robinson is being held without bail.

Suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting is charged with aggravated murder; prosecutors seek death penalty

02:40

In his opening statement, Patel provided a timeline of the FBI’s investigation into Kirk’s shooting last week and defended his role in that probe.

He said that after the shooting, the FBI began conducting extensive interviews and cellphone analysis and flew out evidence response teams, hostage rescue teams, and evidence technicians who collected evidence and flew back to Washington, D.C., to laboratories for analysis.

Patel noted that it was at his direction that the FBI eventually released new video of the suspect, as well as enhanced photos of the man.

“A few hours later, that suspect was in custody pursuant to the interrogation of the suspect’s own father, who stated, ‘When I saw that video that you released, I recognized it was my son, and I confronted him,’ and he was handed over to lawful law enforcement authorities,” Patel said.

He said the agency received more than 11,000 tips in the first 24 hours and received 16,000 submissions to the digital media enterprise and tip lines.

Patel praised all of the people who were involved in the investigation, saying, “These people worked through the night without sleep for days on end. They are to be commended. They are not to be attacked.”

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the FBI and other investigating agencies are looking into Discord users who were in the same chat group as the Kirk shooting suspect.

Patel is facing questions today from the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing that calls into question his recent handling of the department.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., questioned Patel about public reports that say the shooting suspect was in a Discord group with at least 20 other users, and asked whether the FBI knew who those people are and if the agency is working to track those people down.

Patel responded that there are "a lot more than 20" and that the agency is "running them all down," "every single one," he said.

Officials on Friday, upon Robinson's arrest, said the suspect's roommate showed them Discord messages that seemingly connected Robinson to the crime.

Discord, in a statement, confirmed Robinson had an account on its platform, but said it has "found no evidence that the suspect planned this incident or promoted violence on Discord."

"The messages referenced in recent reporting about planning details do not appear to be Discord messages," the Discord statement continued. "These were communications between the suspect's roommate and a friend after the shooting, where the roommate was recounting the contents of a note the suspect had left elsewhere."

It was not immediately clear who else may have been in the Discord group or whether they were privy to these messages or any others from Robinson that had to do with the shooting.

Ahead of today's news conference and court hearing, officials have yet to identify a motive as to why Robinson allegedly carried out the attack.

FBI Director Kash Patel yesterday implied on "Fox & Friends" that the suspect had left-leaning ideologies and that the shooting was premeditated, but did not provide further details.

WASHINGTON — FBI Director Kash Patel is currently facing intense scrutiny during a congressional hearing this week amid questions about his leadership of the FBI and his handling of the investigation into conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Patel appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, and is set to appear before House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, for previously scheduled oversight hearings that will dive into his tenure at the FBI, which has experienced high-level departures and the creation of a co-deputy director position that was filled this week by former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who will work alongside Deputy Director Dan Bongino, Patel’s fellow ex-podcaster.

Patel faces a lawsuit from three FBI leaders he fired, who say they were unlawfully targeted so Patel could stay in President Donald Trump’s good graces. The lawsuit, filed against Patel, as well as Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI, the Justice Department and the Executive Office of the President, paints a portrait of Patel as obsessed with social media, particularly X, and worried about keeping his job if he did not remove agents involved in former criminal cases against Trump. The FBI declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Patel has also come under fire for his handling of the Kirk investigation. NBC News first reported that Patel had dinner at the exclusive New York City restaurant Rao’s on the night Kirk was killed. He said on X that night that “the subject for the horrific shooting” was “in custody.” Roughly 90 minutes later, he posted that that person had been released.

Read the full story here.

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray is expected to announce charges today against Tyler Robinson at a news conference at 2 p.m. ET.

The news conference will precede a court hearing in which Robinson will be informed of the charges the office has decided to file.

Robinson is expected to be charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice in connection with the shooting.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist, was speaking to a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when an assassin fired one bullet from a rooftop about 200 yards away, killing Kirk.

Videos of the shooting from a variety of angles circulated online, capturing Kirk's final moments. The bullet struck his neck, and witnesses described seeing Kirk slump backward before he hit the ground.

Kirk's team took him to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. President Donald Trump was the one to announce his death with a post on Truth Social.

Read the full story here.

Authorities arrested 22-year-old Robinson on Friday — two days after Kirk was killed — after releasing a photo and video connecting him to the shooting scene.

Robinson's father recognized him from the photos and turned him in to authorities, officials said. Robinson did not have a prior criminal record.

A family member said the suspect had become more political in recent years and said Robinson recently told them that Kirk was going to Utah Valley University. The family member said the pair talked about how they didn't like Kirk or his viewpoints, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday.

Robinson was linked to the crime scene using DNA, FBI Director Kash Patel said yesterday.

He also said on "Fox & Friends" yesterday that Robinson's actions were premeditated and based on his political, left-leaning beliefs. Officials have said they believe he acted alone.

"His family has collectively told investigators that he subscribed to left-wing ideology, and even more so in these last couple of years, and he had a text message exchange — he, the suspect, with another individual — in which he claimed that he had an opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and he was going to do it because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for," the FBI director said.

Cox said Robinson used a high-powered rifle, a Mauser 98 .30-06, that had a scope mounted on it. He added that inscriptions were found engraved on casings found with the rifle.

Robinson's grandmother described him as "squeaky clean." A neighbor called him "very considerate," "quiet" and "respectful."

Tyler Robinson, the man accused of shooting and killing Charlie Kirk at a speaking event on a college campus last week, will appear in court today at 5 p.m. ET to be informed of the state charges being filed against him.

Robinson will also be appointed an attorney if he has not yet retained one himself.

The hearing will follow a news conference led by Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray at which he will formally announce the charges his office is filing against Robinson.

It is not yet clear if Robinson will face any federal charges in connection with Kirk's assassination.