Charlie Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10 when he was killed down by a single gunshot to the neck. Now, police have a suspect in custody after a 33-hour manhunt who was reportedly convinced to turn himself in by his father.
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Here’s everything we know about Tyler Robinson, Kirk’s alleged killer.
His Background
Robinson is a 22-year-old white male from Washington, Utah. According to reports, he lived with his father, a Washington County Sheriff’s Department veteran, and mother, who works with people with disabilities, and two younger brothers.
Robinson, who had no criminal background, was enrolled in Dixie Technical College’s electrical apprenticeship program. He also had briefly attended Utah State University majoring in pre-engineering on a prestigious academic scholarship, but he only attended for one semester in 2021. Robinson also became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Political Views and Motives
The suspect, who was described by neighbors and classmates as “super reclusive” and quiet, but still “fun to be around” and “goofy,” had grown increasingly political in recent years. Coming from a “dishard Trump” upbringing, his views recently shifted. His family says he “wasn’t too fond of Trump or Charlie (Kirk)” and said Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate.”
An electrician who worked with Robinson on a job just a few weeks ago described him as shy and “wasn’t talkative unless he was spoken to,” per CNN. Robinson’s ex-classmate said he was “very, very big into gaming” and interested in video game design.
Family members even recalled a conversation at dinner where Robinson, who was an honor roll student in high school, mentioned Kirk’s upcoming visit to Utah. Robinson’s home in an apartment complex in St. George is about a three-and-a-half-hour drive away from the Utah Valley campus.
Robinson’s Arrest and Charges
Authorities went on an immediate manhunt to find the shooter, whom they believed acted alone. After 33 hours, a major break came in the case when Robinson’s father saw FBI photos of the suspect. Robinson’s father confronted him where he reportedly confessed, but said he’d kill himself instead of surrendering. He was convinced to speak to a youth pastor, who is a court security officer and who contacted the U.S. Marshal Service. The minister contacted the cops and shortly after, Robinson was taken into custody by the FBI late Thursday (Sept. 11).
Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and felony discharge of a firearm. Spencer Cox, Utah’s governor, promises to pursue the death penalty.
Social Media Reacts
One Black man said on TikTok, “Hmmm, they kinda look like they’d hang out with each other,” next to a side-by-side photo of Kirk and Robinson. He went on to mention how Robinson once dressed up as Donald Trump for Halloween.
“Uhmm hmmm, exactly who we expected him to be. This is the suspect in the Charlie Kirk shooting,” one Black TikTok creator who goes by NOSY said. “He’s also a registered Republican FYI,” she added, but reports say he wasn’t officially affiliated with any party.
“Sooo is Tyler Robinson’s family getting the $100,000 for turning him in? That’s what the reward was because they’re such a good, strong family who obviously taught their kids the right values and definitely didn’t indoctrinate them into a certain way of thinking,” one man said in jest in a TikTok.
Another TikToker laughed at Utah Governor Spencer Cox who was seemingly flabbergasted the shooting suspect looked like him during a press conference.
“You smell that, it smells like accountability,” one person said, responding to Governor Cox saying how he, “For 33 hours, I was praying that if this had to happen here that it wouldn’t be one of us — that somebody drove from another state, somebody came from another country,” but turns out the suspect is a fellow white male. After laughing, the TikToker continued poking fun at Kash Patel, the FBI Director who is of Indian ethnicity and the son of immigrants, and the face he says he made when Cox mentioned “another country.”
“Boyyyyy everybody was so quick to jump on it and say, ‘We’re done! Go after the liberals! President Donald Trump you let us know. We ride at dawn!’ Come to find out, it’s a 22-year-old white boy living in Utah, Mormon, whose from a hardcore Republican family,” one white man said in a TikTok. He added how, “You gotta be careful what you say about people until the facts come out. Because there’s a lot of people on both sides that are good.”
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