In a latest string of attacks on US politicians, conservative and staunch Trump ally Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck during a debate hosted by Turning Point at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. A 22-year-old Utah man, called Tyler Robinson was arrested on Friday as a suspect in the assassination case.
The three-day manhunt following the shoot had been intense with the first clues only being a palm print, an impression of shoe soles and a rifle found in the woods. However, the chase ended only after “someone very close turned him in”.
Within hours, the FBI and law enforcement detained two people, who were later released after it was determined that the two individuals were not involved in the crime. A reward of $100,000 was announced after footage of him trying to escape the campus was put out.
On Thursday, the FBI and state officials pleaded with the public for help by releasing photographs and a video of the suspect, who they believed was responsible for the shooting.
Authorities said the shooter appeared “to be of college age” and “blended in” with the college population, though authorities clarified on Friday that Robinson is not a student at Utah Valley and that he has been living with family.
Utah governor Spencer Cox in a press conference on Friday, revealed that a family member of Robinson’s reached out to a friend who in turn contacted the authorities with information that Robinson had confessed or implied that committed the incident. “I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing,” he said.
Cox informed that the family member remembered a dinner conversation before September 10 during which Robinson brought up Kirk’s upcoming visit to Utah, criticising him saying, “Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate”.
Robinson’s roommate also showed messages he had sent to him on Discord platform describing that he had left a rifle in a bush wrapped in a towel.
US President Donald Trump in an interview to Fox News said that Robinson’s father gave the information through a “minister” who was involved with law enforcement.
“I hope he’s going to be found guilty and I hope he gets the death penalty. What he did – Charlie Kirk was the finest person and he didn’t deserve this”, Trump said.
According to Reuters, Robinson does not have a criminal history and is not affiliated with a political party. He had not cast a ballot in recent years and was an “inactive” voter.
Robinson was booked into the Utah County jail in Spanish Fork, about 12 miles (19 km) south of the university where Kirk was shot. He has not yet been formally charged.
Throughout the three-day chase, authorities received more than 7,000 leads and they encouraged the public to continue sending more as “no tip is too small.”
