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The 22-year-old man accused of killing Republican activist Charlie Kirk this past week had become “more political” in recent years, according to family members, investigators said on Friday morning.
Tyler Robinson, the Utah man identified as the shooter, was apprehended by authorities Thursday evening after more than a day of searching for him. Officials said they were informed Robinson “confessed” or at least implied he fatally shot Kirk to a family member.
“We got him,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said to start a Friday press conference.
Robinson reportedly expressed negative views of Kirk and had spoken with a family member the day before the shooting “who also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said
After acquiring a rifle, Robinson fatally shot Kirk, 31, on Wednesday while Kirk was hosting an event on Utah Valley University’s campus, authorities said. Robinson then fled the area by jumping off the roof 200 yards from where Kirk was struck and bleeding. He blended in with the crowd and made his escape. That sparked a massive manhunt as the country waited for news of an arrest. Kirk’s death shocked the U.S. and caused anger among many, especially Republicans, who denounced the killing, described as a “political assassination.”
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Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah man, has been identified by authorities as the suspect who shot Republican activist Charlie Kirk at a college campus on Wednesday(FBI)
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Cox said the assassination of Kirk was an attack on all Americans and free speech. He also condemned the political violence.
“I still believe in our country and I know Charlie Kirk believed in our country,” Cox said in an emotion speech at the end of the press conference. “Still believe that there is more good among us than evil, and I still believe that we can change the course of history.”
Kirk, a 31-year-old Republican activist, was the co-founder of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit dedicated to engaging with high school and college-aged individuals on campuses. Kirk had dedicated most of his life to representing conservative beliefs and engaging in debate to spread right-wing policies to young people.
He was well-known for engaging in, at time contentious, debates with young, liberal individuals. At the time of the shooting he was seated at a booth for his “Prove Me Wrong” segment and was answering questions about gun violence in the United States.
Cox said Kirk’s was a “champion” for freedom of expression.
Law enforcement spent more than a day searching for the suspected shooter and released photos and videos asking the public to help identify a person of interest in the case.
Authorities used surveillance and cellphone camera footage to help piece together how Kirk was fatally shot and who may have done it. Footage, released to the public, showed the suspected shooter arriving on campus on Wednesday morning.
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Authorities believe Robinson had fired the shot that killed Kirk from the roof of a nearby building(UGC)
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After firing the shot from about 200 yards away (Pictured: The spot investigators marked where the suspect may have fired from) the shooter fled the area by jumping off the roof.(REUTERS)
Cox said Robinson’s father recognized his son in photos that law enforcement released and reached out to a family friend, who happened to be a minster, to encourage Robinson to turn himself in.
Trump had revealed some of those details while announcing the suspected shooter was in custody on Fox & Friends just hours before the press conference.
The minister, who is also involved with law enforcement, called authorities to arrest Robinson. The suspected shooter was arrested approximately 250 miles southwest of the university, in St. George, Utah.
Law enforcement officials said physical evidence found at the scene of the shooting was tied to Robinson.
Before the arrest, authorities had uncovered the rifle used in the attack and unspent ammunition at the scene of the shooting. Cox confirmed during the press conference that unused ammunition contained inscriptions that aligned with Robinson’s views.
One read, “Hey, fascist! Catch!” with an up arrow symbol, right arrow symbol, and three down arrow symbols.
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Kirk was speaking with young people at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when Robinson, the suspected shooter, fired a single shot that killed him(via REUTERS)
Another said, “oh bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao” – which could be a reference to “Bella ciao,” an Italian song dedicated to those who fought against fascism during World War II.
The third read, “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”
Officials said Robinson’s roommate provided them with messages on the app Discord Robinson sent before and after the shooting. In one chat, Robinson wrote that he needed to “retrieve a rifle” and mentioned the engraved bullets.
“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,” Cox said.
Public voting records show Robinson had no party affiliation and had not voted in the last two elections. Though both his parents were registered Republicans, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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FBI Director Kash Patel and Utah Governor Spencer Cox led the press conference on Friday, condemning the political violence against Charlie Kirk(AFP via Getty Images)
FBI Director Kash Patel, who previously faced some scrutiny for inaccurately claiming to have the suspect in custody, stood beside Cox at the press conference before taking to the podium and praising law enforcement for making the arrest within 33 hours.
“This is what happens when you let good cops be cops,” Patel said.
Patel, who also knew Kirk personally, ended his remarks by telling Kirk, “Rest now, brother. We have the watch, and I’ll see you in Valhalla.” It was a reference to the great hall in Norse mythology where heroes go after they are killed.
Robinson has yet to be charged formally but is being held in a Utah County jail on various charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm and obstruction of justice.
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Cox said the state would be working on charging documents to be filed in the next three days. Those documents will include any other additional charges. Robinson could be facing both state and federal charges for the shooting.
Trump told Fox & Friends that Cox indicated to him he would seek the death penalty for Robinson.