Suspect in Charlie Kirk Shooting Arrested in Utah

Tyler Robinson, 22, has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, ending an intense 33-hour manhunt that gripped the nation.

Family Tips Lead to Arrest

Robinson was taken into custody Thursday evening after his father recognized him in surveillance photos released by authorities. Utah Governor Spencer Cox said the father contacted a family friend, who then reached out to law enforcement through a U.S. Marshals task force officer.

The arrest occurred in Washington County, Utah, approximately 250 miles from the university campus where the shooting took place. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Robinson was apprehended within 33 hours of the deadly attack.

Details of the Attack

Kirk, 31, was shot once in the neck while hosting a “Prove Me Wrong” debate before approximately 3,000 people at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday afternoon. The conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder was participating in his organization’s “American Comeback Tour” when he was struck by a single bullet fired from a nearby rooftop.

Surveillance footage shows Robinson arriving on campus at 8:29 a.m. in a gray Dodge Challenger, wearing casual clothing before changing into dark attire. Officials tracked his movements through stairwells to a rooftop position before the shooting occurred at 12:23 p.m..

Evidence Points to Political Motivation

Investigators discovered a high-powered Mauser .30-06 bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel in nearby woods, believed to be the murder weapon. The ammunition contained inscribed messages including “Hey fascist! CATCH!” and “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao,” referencing an Italian anti-fascist resistance song.

According to Cox, Robinson had become “more politically active in recent years” and had discussed his dislike of Kirk with family members during a recent dinner. Robinson was not enrolled at Utah Valley University and lived in Washington County with his family.

National Response and Investigation

The shooting prompted condemnation from political leaders across party lines, with President Trump calling it a “political assassination”. The FBI received over 7,000 tips from the public and conducted more than 200 interviews during the manhunt.

Robinson faces charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm resulting in serious injury, and obstruction of justice. Governor Cox has indicated the state will pursue the death penalty in the case.

The assassination of Kirk, described by Trump as understanding “the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” has raised concerns about escalating political violence across the country.