The man alleged to have shot Charlie Kirk dead reportedly made a confession to friends before handing himself in.
Detectives are preparing to file murder charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson over the killing of conservative activist and Donald Trump ally Kirk, who was holding a rally at Utah Valley University when he was shot dead with a single bullet last Wednesday.
Following a 33-hour-long manhunt, Robinson handed himself in to police after his father recognised him from CCTV footage released by authorities during the search. And it has now emerged what Robinson is alleged to have told friends in a Discord group after the killing.
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“Hey guys, I have bad news for you all,” states the message sent by Robinson, according to the Washington Post. “It was me at UVU yesterday. I’m sorry for all of this.
“Im surrendering through a sheriff friend in a few moments. thanks for all the good times and laughs, you’ve all been so amazing, thank you all for everything.”
The message was sent on Thursday night, around two hours before he was arrested, and a screenshot has been taken of the conversation, which was sent to around 30 people.
Meanwhile DNA on a towel wrapped around a rifle found near where Kirk was assassinated matched that of Robinson, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
Investigators also have used DNA evidence to link Robinson with a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where the fatal shot was fired, Patel said on the Fox News show “Fox & Friends.”
Officials said Robinson carried a hatred for Kirk and ascribed to a “leftist ideology” which had grown in recent years. Robinson’s family and friends said he spent large amounts of time scrolling the “dark corners of the internet,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.
Patel said Robinson had written in a note before the shooting that he had an opportunity to take out Kirk and was going to do it. Investigators were able to recover the note’s contents after it had been destroyed, the FBI director said, paraphrasing from the note without revealing more details.
Gov Cox said Robinson’s romantic partner was transgender, but authorities did not know yet whether the suspect targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Utah’s department of public safety chief said Robinson’s partner has been cooperative.
“There was a romantic, personal relationship there. We are still investigating whether that individual had any involvement,” commissioner Beau Mason said. “We believe that Tyler Robinson acted by himself during this shooting."
Authorities said Robinson has not been cooperating with law enforcement. They say he may have been “radicalised” online and that ammunition found in the gun used to kill Kirk included anti-fascist and meme-culture engravings. Court records show one bullet casing had the message: “Hey, fascist! Catch!”
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