A suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been taken into custody, authorities confirmed Friday, bringing a swift conclusion to a massive manhunt that spanned across multiple states. Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from southern Utah, was arrested late Thursday night.
The announcement came from Utah Governor Spencer Cox during a press conference, where he stated, “We got him.” This followed an earlier declaration by President Donald Trump on Fox News, who said, “With a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”
The arrest of the alleged shooter caps a 48-hour period of intense investigation involving local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. The extensive search was spurred by the assassination of Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. The shooting, which took place in front of thousands of people, shocked the nation and ignited a renewed conversation about political violence.
🔗: bit.ly/42u2CMy
The suspect in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk has been identified as 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson, officials said at a Friday press conference.
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— People Magazine (@people.com) September 12, 2025 at 9:52 AMLaw enforcement’s breakthrough came after a public plea for information, which led to thousands of tips. The FBI had released surveillance video and photographs of a “person of interest” seen fleeing the scene. The images showed an individual running across a rooftop and jumping to the ground. The suspect’s family, upon recognizing him from the released footage, contacted authorities. Governor Cox praised the family’s actions, saying they “did the right thing.”
Investigators revealed that a family member had told them Robinson had become “more political” in recent years and had expressed opposition to Kirk’s viewpoints. Furthermore, messages reviewed by investigators from the messaging platform Discord, attributed to a user named “Tyler,” mentioned leaving a rifle wrapped in a towel and engravings on bullets. A high-powered, bolt-action rifle, believed to be the murder weapon, was later recovered in a wooded area near the campus, consistent with the described escape route.
So it turns out that the shooter was not a trans person. Thanks to the Wall Street Journal for perpetuating that rumor. All because of a few arrows? WTF?
Per the press conference, the actual inscriptions on the casings are:
“Notices bulges, OWO whats this?”
“hey fascist! Catch! Uparrow, right arrow, three down arrow”
“O bella cao, bella cao cao cao”
“If you read this you are gay lmao”
The arrows are a Helldivers reference. The notices bulge thing is a meme mocking furries. This is a deeply online person who is just putting memes on bullets.
The assassination of Kirk, a prominent figure and co-founder of Turning Point USA, has drawn bipartisan condemnation. Officials have consistently referred to the act as an “attack on the American experiment.” Governor Cox, in his remarks, called for national unity and a rejection of political rage. “Words are not violence. Violence is violence,” he stated.
As the investigation moves into its next phase, Robinson has been booked into the Utah County Jail. He is expected to face charges soon, with Governor Cox indicating that the state plans to pursue the death penalty. The motive for the shooting remains a key part of the ongoing investigation, but initial details suggest a political element to the crime.
