The man accused of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, a Utah native who had been living with his parents “for a long time,” according to authorities.
Mr. Robinson was apprehended on September 12 when a family member recognized him in surveillance photographs, which detectives described as critical in concluding a nationwide manhunt.
According to CBS News, Robinson’s father persuaded him to give himself in. The father then reportedly contacted a family acquaintance, who notified the sheriff’s office.
At a news conference on Friday to announce the arrest, FBI officials declined to detail Robinson’s background, political leanings, or suspected purpose, citing the continuing investigation.
“We are confident we have the right individual in custody,” an FBI spokesperson said, “but we are still working to establish the full picture of who he is and why he acted.”
According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a family member interviewed by investigators stated that Mr. Robinson had become “more political” in recent years.
The relative also stated that during a dinner conversation prior to the attack, Mr. Robinson mentioned Kirk’s upcoming event at Utah Valley University.
“They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had,” Cox said, referring to the conversation.
According to public records reviewed by the BBC, Mr. Robinson previously registered as an unaffiliated, or nonpartisan, voter in Utah.
His parents, Matthew Carl Robinson and Amber Denise Robinson, are registered Republicans, according to state records.
Mr. Robinson was not enrolled at UVU, the site of the shooting. The Utah Board of Higher Education stated that Tyler James Robinson was a third-year electrical app student.
“He previously spent one semester at Utah State University in 2021 and earned concurrent enrollment credits through Utah Tech University while in high school between 2019 and 2021,” it added.
According to Mr. Robinson’s social media profiles, his father owns a company that installs kitchen countertops and cabinets, while his mother works as a social worker. The family is Mormon and attends the local church.
Investigators said Mr. Robinson was well-versed in cyber culture, citing inscriptions on shot casings associated with the crime.
Two casings had apparent references to online trolling humor. The inscription “Notices bulges” The phrase “OwO what’s this?” on a fired shell casing may relate to a “copypasta,” which is a piece of text that is repeated repeatedly, often to troll people online. Another unfired case was etched with the words “If you read this, you are gay lmao”—a clear reference to a trolling joke.
Other casings could be interpreted as sympathetic to Antifa, a far-left activist group that has been active in the US over the last decade and frequently protests against Trump policies and far-right groups.
One unfired casing had the words “Hey fascist! Catch!” and an up, right, and three down arrows.
The three down arrows could be a typical anti-fascist sign. The arrows could represent a set of control inputs in a video game, but this is uncertain, as officials have yet to share photographs of the casings.
A second casing was inscribed with words to the song “Bella Ciao,” which honors Italian resistance fighters who fought Nazi Germany during World War II.
Authorities said Robinson looked to be active on Discord, a social media site mainly used by gamers but now popular with other communities.
His roommate apparently handed police a series of Discord chats from a contact named “Tyler” that mentioned a rifle “drop point” and directions for recovering and concealing the weapon.
Discord later issued a statement indicating that his account had been suspended. “We have removed the suspect’s account for violating our off-platform behavior policy,” according to the statement.
Robinson remains in detention while prosecutors prepare formal charges.
The investigation into his past, motives, and potential affiliations is ongoing in what officials describe as one of the most significant political deaths in modern US history.
