Officials have said Robinson carried a hatred for Kirk and ascribed to a “leftist ideology” that had grown in recent years.
Robinson’s family and friends said he spent large amounts of time scrolling the “dark corners of the internet,” Utah Gov.
Over the weekend, Cox said Robinson’s romantic partner was transgender, but authorities did not know yet whether the suspect targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views.
Authorities said Robinson has not been cooperating with law enforcement since being jailed for suspicion of aggravated murder.
On Monday, a massive American flag was hung from a walkway just above where Kirk sat before the shooting.
OREM, Utah (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel announced Monday that the DNA on a towel wrapped around a rifle discovered close to the scene of the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk matched that of the 22-year-old suspect.
Patel stated on Monday on the Fox News program “Fox and Friends” that investigators have also linked the suspect, Tyler Robinson, with a screwdriver found on the rooftop where the deadly shot was fired using DNA evidence. “.”.
As early as Tuesday, authorities in Utah are planning to charge Robinson with capital murder in connection with the death of Kirk, a prominent conservative politician who became a confidant of President Donald Trump after establishing Turning Point USA, one of the biggest political organizations in the country, in Arizona.
During one of his frequent campus appearances, Kirk, who introduced young, conservative evangelical Christians to politics, was shot Wednesday while giving a speech at Utah Valley University. In a sharply divided United States, the shooting sparked concerns about a rise in political violence.
According to officials, Robinson harbored animosity toward Kirk and subscribed to a “leftist ideology” that had gained traction in the previous few years. Robinson spent a significant amount of time browsing the “dark corners of the internet,” according to his family and friends. Utah Gov. Sunday was said by Spencer Cox.
Robinson wrote in a note prior to the shooting that he had a chance to kill Kirk and was going to do so, Patel told Fox. “After the note was destroyed, investigators were able to recover its contents,” the FBI director stated, paraphrasing from the note without providing additional information.
Cox claimed over the weekend that Robinson’s romantic partner was transgender, but authorities were unsure if Kirk was singled out by the suspect because of his anti-transgender beliefs.
The chief of Utah’s public safety department reported on Monday that Robinson’s partner has cooperated.
There was a romantic, intimate relationship going on. Commissioner Beau Mason told The Associated Press, “We are still looking into whether that person was involved in anything.”.
Mason stated, “We think Tyler Robinson acted alone during this shooting,” and he added that investigators are examining whether anyone else was aware of his premeditated plans.
Since being arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, Robinson has reportedly not cooperated with police, according to authorities. They claim that he might have been “radicalized” online and that anti-fascist and meme-culture engravings were discovered in the ammunition used to murder Kirk. According to court documents, the words “Hey, fascist! Catch!” were printed on one bullet casing.
Robinson was taken into custody late Thursday in the area of St. George is located between Las Vegas and the National Parks of Bryce Canyon and Zion in the southwest corner of Utah. It’s unclear if he has a lawyer who could represent him, and his family has refused to give the AP any comments.
Additionally, authorities disclosed on Monday that a man who was arrested following the shooting was detained due to his yell, “I shot him, now shoot me.”. George Zinn subsequently acknowledged that he had said that merely “so the real suspect could get away,” according to a probable cause statement. An attorney who represented Zinn in another case earlier this year did not immediately return a voicemail left at his office after hours.
Security professionals have questioned the event’s security since the shooting, questioning the number of officers and the choice to hold it outside. During his tour of college campuses, Kirk was known to be most comfortable in close proximity to students, which enabled him to engage in conversation with onlookers. Additionally, his degree of protection changed significantly with each stop.
All throughout the nation, tributes to Kirk persisted. There were moments of silence at a number of professional sporting events on Sunday, and a line of mourners encircled the Kennedy Center in Washington for a vigil.
Just above Kirk’s seat prior to the shooting, a huge American flag was suspended from a walkway on Monday. Near a memorial for Kirk that was decorated with flowers and flags near a university entrance, people had written messages in chalk on the sidewalks. These messages were mostly bible verses and calls to love, but there were also some more serious ones. “The truth cannot be stopped by bullets,” one person said.
Vice President JD Vance, who considered Kirk a close friend, provided a stand-in host for “The Charlie Kirk Show” on the streaming service Rumble on Monday.
According to Vance, Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk told him that her husband was never “cross or mean-spirited to her” and never raised his voice toward her. “”.
“I learned from that experience that I needed to be a better father and a better husband,” the vice president remarked. “I’m going to honor my friend in that manner. “”.
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