Family members told investigators that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old charged in the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, made disturbing remarks about Kirk at a recent family dinner, Utah officials said Friday.
Governor Spencer Cox said relatives reported that Robinson raised Kirk’s Sept. 10 campus visit and voiced strong dislike for the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder, describing him as “full of hate and spreading hate.” The comments were relayed to police after Robinson’s arrest and were described by Cox as a red flag that prompted the family to contact law enforcement.
Robinson was taken into custody Thursday night after his father, Matt Robinson, confronted him upon recognizing his son in photos distributed by the FBI during an extended manhunt, authorities said. According to media reports and statements from officials, Robinson confessed to his father, who urged him to turn himself in. Robinson initially told his father he would rather kill himself than surrender but later spoke with a local youth minister who also works with the U.S. Marshals Service and agreed to cooperate.
The suspect now faces charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice, according to a probable cause affidavit. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted. Authorities have described the motive for the shooting as unclear.
Investigators say Robinson allegedly drove a gray Dodge Challenger to the Utah Valley University campus in Orem on Wednesday, scaled a building near the Losee Center and fired a single bullet from a rooftop location about 200 yards away. The bolt-action rifle believed to have been used was recovered in woods near the campus. Unspent rounds found with the weapon were reported to bear engraved messages including “Hey Fascist! Catch!”, “If you read this you are Gay, LMAO” and a line referencing a protest song: “Oh Bella ciao Bella ciao Bella ciao.”
Kirk, 31, was struck while answering a question about mass shootings during a Turning Point USA event and collapsed at the podium. He was rushed to a hospital and later died of his injuries. College students and attendees fled the auditorium, and witnesses described chaotic scenes on the campus following the shot. Sophie Anderson, who was present, told media she saw Kirk struck in the neck and said crowds rushed for cover.
The manhunt to locate the shooter stretched about 33 hours and included several false leads, with multiple people initially detained and later released. FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged earlier in the investigation that a person earlier held was released after interrogation and that the gunman remained at large at that time. Authorities have said Robinson’s roommate directed investigators to the suspect’s Discord account and told officers that Robinson had messaged asking to retrieve a rifle wrapped in a towel and left in some bushes.
Cox described the shooting as a “watershed moment” in American history and warned of its significance amid a recent spate of politically charged attacks. President Donald Trump posted on his platform that Kirk was “loved and admired by ALL” and ordered flags lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening. Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Utah to join Kirk’s family and later helped carry the commentator’s casket onto Air Force Two.
Public records reviewed by reporters indicate Robinson has no recorded political party affiliation and did not vote in the last two elections. His parents, Matt and Amber Robinson, are registered Republicans. Amber Robinson is employed by Intermountain Support Coordination Services, a state-contracted disability provider, while Matt Robinson runs a construction company. The family’s social media posts show vacation photos and smiling family portraits; images from Robinson’s childhood include him handling a large M2 Browning .50-caliber machine gun, and a 2017 photo shows him in a Halloween costume dressed as former President Donald Trump.
Robinson had been enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George and briefly attended Utah State University on a presidential scholarship in 2021 before leaving after one semester, the Utah System of Higher Education confirmed.
Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and had become a prominent conservative activist and media figure, known for campus debates and online commentary. He is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their two young children. Kirk had been the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention and opened the 2020 convention.
Authorities have not publicly identified a clear motive. Investigators continue to gather evidence, interview witnesses and process digital accounts as prosecutors prepare to pursue charges that could lead to capital punishment if a conviction is obtained.