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Charlie Kirk shooting: Utah governor confirms arrest of suspect Charlie Kirk shooting: Utah governor confirms arrest of suspect
(32 minutes later)
Spencer Cox identifies suspect as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who was arrested near the border of Utah and ArizonaSpencer Cox identifies suspect as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who was arrested near the border of Utah and Arizona
Charlie Kirk shooting – follow latest updatesCharlie Kirk shooting – follow latest updates
Charlie Kirk shooting suspect: details of messages and gun casings emergeCharlie Kirk shooting suspect: details of messages and gun casings emerge
A suspect has been arrested in southern Utah in connection with the fatal shooting of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk, Spencer Cox said on Friday morning, identifying the man as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.A suspect has been arrested in southern Utah in connection with the fatal shooting of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk, Spencer Cox said on Friday morning, identifying the man as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
“We got him,” the Utah governor said at a press conference, adding that Robinson was arrested and taken into custody in Washington county, which is close to the state border with Arizona, on Thursday at 10pm local time.“We got him,” the Utah governor said at a press conference, adding that Robinson was arrested and taken into custody in Washington county, which is close to the state border with Arizona, on Thursday at 10pm local time.
Cox said a family friend of Robinson’s reached out to the authorities and told officers that Robinson “confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident”. Cox said a family friend of Robinson’s reached out to the authorities and said that Robinson “confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident”.
Robinson was spotted wearing clothing that were consistent with surveillance images and said that investigators have also seen messages he sent via the group chat app Discord that linked him to the shooting, Cox said. Cox said Robinson was seen wearing clothing consistent with surveillance images and that investigators have also seen messages he sent via the group chat app Discord that linked him to the shooting.
Kirk was shot and killed with a single bullet fired from a distant rooftop while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem. Around 3,000 people had gathered to hear from the 31-year-old, a co-founder of the hard right youth organization Turning Point USA, or to debate him over his characteristic inflammatory public speech and often-extremist views on race, immigration, gender identity and gun rights.Kirk was shot and killed with a single bullet fired from a distant rooftop while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem. Around 3,000 people had gathered to hear from the 31-year-old, a co-founder of the hard right youth organization Turning Point USA, or to debate him over his characteristic inflammatory public speech and often-extremist views on race, immigration, gender identity and gun rights.
Cox said that family members told investigators that the suspect in the killing, Robinson, had “become more political in recent years” and had mentioned that Kirk was coming to UVU at a prior family dinner. Cox said that family members told investigators that the suspect in the killing, Robinson, had “become more political in recent years” and mentioned that Kirk was coming to UVU at a prior family dinner.
“They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said.“They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said.
A high-powered Mauser rifle found near the scene of the suspect’s initial escape route contained an unfired bullet that Cox said was marked with the message “hey, fascist, catch!”. A high-powered Mauser rifle found near the scene of the suspect’s initial escape route contained an unfired bullet that Cox said was marked with the message, “hey, fascist, catch!”.
And other casings appeared to reference gaming and online meme culture including “Oh Bella Ciao” – an Italian folk song that originally became an anti-fascist resistance anthem during the second world war and is popularized in some video games – and a homophobic slur: “If you read this, you are gay LMAO [laughing my ass off].” Other casings appeared to reference gaming and online meme culture including “Oh Bella Ciao” – an Italian folk song that became an anti-fascist resistance anthem during the second world war and has been popularized in some video games – and a homophobic slur: “If you read this, you are gay LMAO [laughing my ass off].”
Cox said that Robinson’s roommate had shown investigators Discord messages he sent which were “affiliated with the contact, Tyler, stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point” and referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel. Cox said that Robinson’s roommate showed investigators Discord messages he sent which were “affiliated with the contact, Tyler, stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point,” and referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel.
A spokesperson for Discord said in a statement they “identified a Discord account associated with the suspect, but have 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 statement said. “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.”
They noted that Discord has removed the suspect’s account.
Cox said Robinson was not a student at UVU and a UVU spokesperson confirmed to the Guardian that they had no record of him attending.Cox said Robinson was not a student at UVU and a UVU spokesperson confirmed to the Guardian that they had no record of him attending.
The spokesperson told the Guardian that Robinson is currently a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College and that he briefly attended Utah State University (USU) for one semester in 2021. Robinson received concurrent enrollment credit through Utah Tech University from 2019 to 2021, while in high school, the spokesperson added. The spokesperson said Robinson is a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College and that he briefly attended Utah State University (USU) for one semester in 2021. Robinson received concurrent enrollment credit through Utah Tech University from 2019 to 2021, while in high school, the spokesperson added.
In a statement, USU said: “We can confirm that Robinson did attend the Logan campus briefly for one semester in 2021, was a pre-engineering major, and took classes consistent with that major, after which he took a leave of absence.”In a statement, USU said: “We can confirm that Robinson did attend the Logan campus briefly for one semester in 2021, was a pre-engineering major, and took classes consistent with that major, after which he took a leave of absence.”
Concluding the news conference on Friday, Cox said that this “is a very sad day for our country, a terrible day for the state of Utah, but I’m grateful that at this moment, we have an opportunity to bring closure to this very dark chapter in our nation’s history”.
Kristin Schwiermann, 66, a neighbor of the Robinson family, told the Guardian that Robinson was “very respectful and quiet” and “had friends”. “He was smart,” she said, and “aced his ACTs and got a full ride at university”.Kristin Schwiermann, 66, a neighbor of the Robinson family, told the Guardian that Robinson was “very respectful and quiet” and “had friends”. “He was smart,” she said, and “aced his ACTs and got a full ride at university”.
“He’s from a very loving family,” she said. “I love his mother, and he’s just a hard-working family.”“He’s from a very loving family,” she said. “I love his mother, and he’s just a hard-working family.”
The news, she said, “shocked the crap out of me, because we live in a very nice neighborhood, a very quiet neighborhood, we all know each other”.The news, she said, “shocked the crap out of me, because we live in a very nice neighborhood, a very quiet neighborhood, we all know each other”.
“I didn’t think he would have done this,” she said.“I didn’t think he would have done this,” she said.
Currently, Robinson is being held at the Utah county jail and per court documents obtained by the Associated Press, he has charged with suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of justice charges. On Friday morning, the sunny, winding streets near the Robinson residence were crowded with law enforcement vehicles, marked and unmarked, and media cameras.
Earlier on Friday morning, Donald Trump, in a live TV studio interview with the Fox & Friends morning show, said he had heard the news of an arrest moments before going on air. Melissa Tait, a 55-year-old woman and mother of four, who lives just down the street from the Robinson house, said that the Robinsons were “just like any other neighbor” and “no different than my family”.
“I think with a high degree of certainty we have him in custody,” the US president said. Robinson is being held at the Utah county jail and, per court documents obtained by the Associated Press, he is expected to be charged with suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of justice charges.
Trump believes Kirk’s killer should receive the death penalty, echoing earlier calls for that from Cox, a Republican. Earlier on Friday, Donald Trump said he’d heard of an arrest just moments before going on air in a live TV studio interview with the Fox & Friends morning show.
“I think with a high degree of certainty we have him in custody,” the US president said. He also noted that he believes Kirk’s killer should receive the death penalty.
During the intense search for the shooter, investigators and the public had been poring over video officially released, showing the suspect running across a roof, climbing off the edge of the building and dropping to the ground.During the intense search for the shooter, investigators and the public had been poring over video officially released, showing the suspect running across a roof, climbing off the edge of the building and dropping to the ground.
The FBI had offered up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person, having on Wednesday detained but then released without charge two other persons “of interest”. The FBI offered up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person. On Wednesday, they detained but then released without charge two other persons “of interest”.
The death of Kirk – a close ally of Trump – has drawn renewed attention to the escalating threat of political violence in the United States which, in the last several years, has cut across the ideological spectrum. The assassination drew bipartisan condemnation from political leaders. The death of Kirk – a close ally of Trump – has brought renewed attention to the escalating threat of political violence in the United States. The assassination drew bipartisan condemnation from political leaders.
Cox said on Thursday, “there is a tremendous amount of disinformation” online and encouraged the public to ignore it. Cox told the public on Thursday “there is a tremendous amount of disinformation” online and encouraged people to ignore it.
Trump, when asked further in his Friday TV interview about how “we fix the country” or “come back together” after Kirk’s shooting, said that he “couldn’t care less” and launched into partisan accusations. On Thursday evening, Kirk’s casket had arrived in his home state of Arizona aboard Air Force Two, accompanied by JD Vance, who has lionized Kirk. The vice-president’s wife, Usha, stepped off the plane with Kirk’s widow, Erika.
He added: “The radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don’t want to see crime. They don’t want to see crime, worried about the border,” adding: “The radicals on the left are the problem, and they’re vicious and they’re horrible and they’re politically savvy.”
On Thursday evening, Kirk’s casket had arrived in his home state of Arizona aboard Air Force Two on Thursday evening, accompanied by JD Vance, who has lionized Kirk. The vice-president’s wife, Usha, stepped off the plane with Kirk’s widow, Erika.
Turning Point USA and Kirk’s family home are in Arizona.Turning Point USA and Kirk’s family home are in Arizona.
Kirk was a provocateur and a divisive figure who is credited with helping bring young people, especially men, into the US president’s “Make America great again” (Maga) movement. He was also known for bigoted views, calling for a total ban on transgender healthcare, describing immigration from Muslim countries as “civilizational suicide”, and peddling conspiracy theories about Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.Kirk was a provocateur and a divisive figure who is credited with helping bring young people, especially men, into the US president’s “Make America great again” (Maga) movement. He was also known for bigoted views, calling for a total ban on transgender healthcare, describing immigration from Muslim countries as “civilizational suicide”, and peddling conspiracy theories about Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.
Kirk’s killing drew bipartisan condemnation of the rise in political violence in the US.
Congressman Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska told NBC News that he wished Trump would unite the country after the shooting, “but he’s a populist, and populists dwell on anger”.
“I have to remind people, we had Democrats killed in Minnesota too, right?” Bacon added. This referred to the murder of Minnesota’s former house speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in June by a gunman who severely wounded two others and had a hitlist of 45 people, all Democrats. Mike Lee, a Utah senator, spread disinformation about those murders, while condemning Kirk’s killing this week.