Authorities have shared their most detailed account yet of the investigation set off by the killing of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which concluded with a suspect surrendering to police.
Here are key details Utah County prosecutor Jeffrey Gray released about the case centering on 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson:
– ‘Sniper positions’ –
When a lone gunshot rang out during Kirk’s outdoor event on September 10, a Utah Valley University police officer believed the weapon to be a rifle “because of its sound,” Gray said, and began looking for “potential sniper positions.”
About 160 yards (150 meters) away, the officer spotted a roof area “as a potential shooting position.”
There, he found “impressions in the gravel” consistent with the body of a “person in a prone shooting position.”
Security surveillance footage confirmed that an individual dressed in dark clothing was on the roof at approximately 12:15 pm local time, Gray said.
That revelation marked the start of a 33-hour manhunt.
– The attack –
The apparent suspect entered campus at 11:51 am local time, wearing a black shirt with an American flag in the center, a dark baseball cap and large sunglasses, Gray said.
His appearance gave few clues, but the suspect’s posture appeared to indicate that he was hiding something.
“The suspect keeps his head down. He is seen walking with an unusual gait, with very little bending in his right leg, consistent with a rifle being hidden in his pants,” Gray said.
Security cameras also caught the suspect descending from the roof immediately after the shooting and fleeing campus on foot.
A rifle with a scope was found in the woods nearby, wrapped in a towel.
“The rifle contained one spent round and three unspent rounds,” Gray said.
The unspent rounds were engraved with enigmatic messages: “hey fascist catch” followed by arrow symbols believed to be a video game cheat code, the famed anti-fascist song “oh, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, ciao, ciao” and “if you read this, you are gay, lmao.”
Robinson’s DNA was discovered on the gun’s trigger, the shell casing, two cartridges and the towel, authorities said.
That’s not all the evidence that identified him.
– A parent knows –
The next day, Tyler Robinson’s mother saw footage of the shooter on the news and thought he resembled her son.
But when she called, “he said he was at home sick,” like he had been the day before, Gray said.
Robinson’s father also recognized “that the rifle that police suspected the shooter used matched a rifle that was given to his son as a gift.”
Robinson’s mother told investigators her son had recently “become more political and had started to lean more to the left” to embrace gay and trans rights, Gray said.
“She stated that Robinson began to date his roommate, a biological male who was transitioning genders. This resulted in several discussions with family members, but especially between Robinson and his father, who have very different political views.”
Robinson described his father as becoming “hardcore MAGA” since Trump returned to the White House, Gray said, referring to the president’s “Make America Great Again” movement.
When his parents reached him by phone, Robinson hinted at being the shooter, saying he didn’t want to go to prison, and that he was ready to take his own life.
Robinson’s parents worked to convince him to surrender.
– A hidden note –
After the shooting, Robinson exchanged messages with his roommate.
“Drop what you’re doing. Look under my keyboard,” Robinson wrote.
There, a note read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”
Excerpts of that conversation, per court documents:
Roommate: “What you’re joking, right?”
Robinson: “I am still okay, my love, but I’m 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 am, I’m sorry.”
Roommate: “Why?”
Robinson: “Why did I do it? I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out. If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence.”
Robinson told the roommate he’d been planning the shooting for a bit over a week before adding:
“I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpa’s rifle. How the f will I explain losing it to my old man?”
Robinson then adds later: “Delete this exchange…I’m going to turn myself in willingly.”
Thirty-three hours after the shooting, Robinson did just that.
es/ph/sla/jgc/jm
