Authorities have taken into custody the person they suspect of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday at a Utah university campus event.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody in St. George, Utah, on Friday, authorities and sources told ABC News.
When law enforcement identified Robinson, they also interviewed Robinson’s roommate who showed them a message between Robinson and his roommate.
Cox said Robinson arrived on campus driving a gray Dodge Challenger, which matched his vehicle he arrived in on campus.
FBI Director Kash Patel said that law enforcement caught Robinson within 33 hours of the shooting and was on scene within 16 minutes.
The person suspected of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday at a Utah university campus event has been arrested by authorities.
22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested in St. George, Utah, on Friday, ABC News was informed by sources and authorities.
After police distributed photos, Robinson’s father identified him as the person they were looking for.
At first, the father instructed Robinson to turn himself in. According to officials, Robinson changed his mind after first saying no.
A youth pastor, who is also a U, was then called by the father. A. Marshals task force leader. The father was advised by the officer to keep Robinson where he was.
During a Friday news conference, Utah Gov. Robinson, according to Spencer Cox, had talked to a family member about Kirk’s visit to the Utah Valley University campus the previous evening and had grown more political in recent years.
Additionally, Cox explained what was engraved on the casings that were discovered at the scene.
According to Cox, the first casing read, “Notices Bulge OWO what’s this??”.
The remaining three unfired casings read: “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!,” “If you read this, you are GAY Lmao,” and “Hey fascist! CATCH!” with an arrow symbol pointing up, then to the right, and finally three arrows pointing down. “..”.
Law enforcement interviewed Robinson’s roommate after identifying him, and the roommate showed them a message that Robinson had sent to his roommate.
“Messages related to the contact Tyler, indicating the necessity of retrieving a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush,” Cox stated. The messages mentioned leaving the rifle wrapped in a towel and about visually inspecting the location where it was left. Additionally, the messages mentioned engraving bullets, a scope, and the rifle’s uniqueness. Tyler, the contact, also stated in his messages that he had changed clothes. “..”.
According to Cox, Robinson drove a gray Dodge Challenger, which was the same car he used to get to campus.
He also commended Robinson’s family, saying they made the correct decision. “.”.
Police were on the scene within 16 minutes and apprehended Robinson within 33 hours of the shooting, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
According to the governor, “this is a very much an ongoing investigation, and we will continue to work with state and local authorities to develop the investigation to provide them the evidence they need for their ongoing prosecutions,” Patel stated.
Authorities and a former FBI agent previously stated that they thought the subject was a college-aged person who was apparently skilled with a powerful rifle and probably familiar with the campus of the university where the murder took place.
The arrest was first made public by President Donald Trump, who said on “Fox and Friends” Friday morning, “I think with high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”. “.
State and federal authorities released video of the person of interest leaping from the roof of a campus building during a news conference Thursday evening.
Converse sneakers were among the “distinct clothing” that the suspect was wearing, according to Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason, which could aid in his identification.
According to him, a palm print and shoe impressions were left by the person who was seen in the video leaping from the roof.
“We will catch this individual,” Mason stated during the press conference. “We are putting everything we have into this.”.
After conducting about 200 interviews and receiving over 7,000 leads and tips, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox stated. .
Special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, Robert Bohls, told reporters during a press conference Thursday morning that investigators think they have found the weapon used in what Utah Governor Robert Bohls described as a “political assassination” on Wednesday. “.
A powerful bolt-action rifle, according to Bohls, was discovered abandoned in a forested area close to Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem. It is currently being examined in an FBI lab for any hints that could help identify the shooter.
In particular, several law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News that the weapon is an older imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle that was discovered in a wooded area close to the school, wrapped in a towel. According to the sources, a spent cartridge was found inside the gun’s chamber.
Law enforcement officials told ABC News that the recovered firearm and ammunition will be transported to the FBI’s main lab in Quantico, Virginia, for the most cutting-edge forensic examination. Finding any latent DNA and fingerprints is the main goal, according to the sources.
According to Bohls, investigators also took forearm, palm, and shoe impression prints for examination.
Mason added that investigators are also looking at “good video footage” of the shooter, which they have used to follow his movements both before and after the shooting.
Images of the person of interest wanted in connection with the shooting were made public by the FBI in Salt Lake City after a news conference on Thursday. An individual in the pictures appears to be a white man dressed entirely in dark apparel, including a dark long-sleeved collarless top that seems to have an American flag on the front. Additionally, the man in the pictures is sporting sunglasses and a dark ball cap.
A $100,000 reward has been offered by the FBI for information that results in the suspect’s capture.
Mason stated that investigators think the suspect got to the UVU campus at 11:52 a.m. A. local time, roughly twenty-eight minutes prior to Kirk’s shooting death. Kirk was the co-founder and CEO of the conservative grassroots group Turning Point USA. According to him, Kirk was speaking to a crowd of roughly 3,000 people when the fatal bullet was fired from a building a considerable distance away. He didn’t say which building the gunman was firing from.
Mason stated, “We have followed his movements onto campus, through stairwells, up to the roof, and across the roof to the shooting location.”. We were able to follow him as he fled the campus into a neighborhood, jumped off the building, and moved to the opposite side of the building following the shooting. “,”.
He said that in order to conduct an analysis, investigators used doorbell cameras to contact residents and searched the neighborhood for the suspect.
The individual of interest “blended in well with the college institution,” Mason added, adding that “the individual appears to be of college age.”. “,”.
The evidence investigators have presented thus far, according to retired FBI agent and ABC News contributor Brad Garrett, depicts a suspect who meticulously planned the shooting, including throwing away the potential murder weapon in his escape route.
Garrett stated, “He most likely did that [because] he didn’t want to be seen walking through a neighborhood, having a weapon, or running through a neighborhood.”.
According to Garrett, finding the weapon is a significant clue that will provide detectives with more leads to follow.
What was the origin of it? This shooter might have bought it or registered it. “We shall see,” Garrett remarked. Whether it was stolen or not, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF, will assist them right away, and they are likely already aware of what that is. “..”.
According to Garrett, finding the killer’s palm print can also be beneficial.
Garrett remarked, “If he’s ever had a complete set of prints, where you print the entire hand, let’s say he’d been in the military or some part of the government or a contractor, they might have those.”. Although it’s unlikely, they might have those. “..”.
According to Garrett, the distance from the point of impact may also reveal the identity of the shooter.
“I’m going with dot. The real key is that if he was able to fire the single shot that killed Charlie Kirk, which he regrettably did, that shows some proficiency because it’s very difficult to have the breathing and the concentration to pull off one shot like that and that’s what killed the person,” Garrett said. A scope and a tripod would have greatly helpful him for steadiness. “Maybe that implies previous training. It undoubtedly points to someone who has been using this weapon—or similar weapons—a lot. “..”.
Garrett stated that in order to ascertain whether the shooter had visited any local gun ranges or stores, investigators are probably going to each one.
“The issue is evidently growing over time, dot. Was he smart enough to leave the area?” Garrett asked. However, that is not always the case with these types of shooters. “..”.
