OREM, Utah (AP) — The man accused in the Charlie Kirk assassination had earlier expressed to family his opposition to the viewpoints of the conservative activist, the authorities said Friday in announcing an arrest in a targeted killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in the United States.
Tyler Robinson, 22, had become “more political” in the run-up to the shooting and had indicated to a family friend afterwards that he was responsible, said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. He also cited as key pieces of evidence engravings on bullets found in a rifle believed used in the attack as well as chatting app messages attributed to the accused shooter that a roommate shared with law enforcement after the shooting.
Cox, a Republican, called Kirk’s killing an “attack on the American experiment,” and he urged a new generation to “choose a different path.”
Robinson is believed to have acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said.
Robinson’s arrest early Friday morning was disclosed by President Donald Trump, who said in a Fox News Channel interview that, “With a high degree of certainty, we have him.”
This photo released by the Utah Governor’s Office on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025 shows Tyler Robinson. (Utah Governor’s Office via AP)
News of the arrest came hours after the FBI and state officials had pleaded for public help by releasing additional photographs of the suspect, a move that seemed to indicate that law enforcement was uncertain of the person’s whereabouts.
Kirk was killed by a single shot in what police said was a targeted attack and Utah’s governor called a political assassination. Kirk co-founded the nonprofit political organization Turning Point USA, based in Arizona.
Authorities recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle near the scene of the shooting and had said the shooter jumped off a roof and vanished into the nearby woods afterward.
RELATED: Mississippi officials react to fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk
Kirk had been speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University at the time of Wednesday’s shooting. He was taken to a local
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