Authorities on Friday identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect arrested in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, ending a nationwide manhunt two days after Kirk was fatally shot during a campus event in Utah.
Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed on Wednesday while hosting one of his signature “Prove Me Wrong” debates at Utah Valley University, where he invited students to challenge his conservative views. Roughly 3,000 people attended. Police say a single shot was fired from a rooftop, striking Kirk in the neck.
Robinson, who briefly attended Utah State University in 2021, was apprehended after family members and a friend alerted authorities. Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said during a Friday morning press conference that Robinson changed clothing before and after the attack in an apparent attempt to disguise himself. Investigators also reviewed Discord messages allegedly linked to Robinson, including references to a rifle hidden in the woods and inscriptions etched onto bullets, one of which read, “Hey fascist, catch!”
Cox called Kirk’s murder a “political assassination” and “an attack on all of us.” He praised Robinson’s family for turning him in, saying they “did the right thing.” Officials confirmed that Robinson acted alone and has been booked into Utah County Jail.
President Donald Trump, who told Fox News earlier Friday that “we have him in custody,” vowed to attend Kirk’s funeral in Arizona and said he would award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. Vice President JD Vance personally transported Kirk’s body back to his home state on Air Force Two on Thursday evening.
Kirk built his profile by attacking LGBTQ+ rights and spreading conspiracy theories. His assassination has already inflamed political tensions, with allies demanding swift justice and critics pointing to his legacy of polarizing rhetoric.
The shooting has drawn bipartisan condemnation, with leaders from both parties warning of escalating political violence. Former Presidents Obama, Biden, Clinton, and Bush all denounced the killing. Utah officials said they intend to pursue the death penalty in Robinson’s case.
Watch the Utah press conference below.
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This story is developing.
This article originally appeared on Advocate: BREAKING: Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin in custody