The FBI said Monday that a note found in the home of Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, contained a line saying, "I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I'm going to take it," FBI Director Kash Patel said in an interview on Fox News.
Patel said the note was written before the shooting and was located in the suspect's residence. Although authorities say the paper itself was destroyed, forensic evidence recovered from the site and interviews with the suspect helped confirm the content of the note, Patel said. He also said DNA matching Robinson was recovered at the location where the shooter is believed to have hidden and on a towel used to cover the firearm after it was discarded in nearby woods.
Robinson, 22, was taken into custody on Friday in connection with the shooting at Utah Valley University that killed Kirk. Authorities arrested him on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offenses; officials said he was expected to be formally charged Tuesday ahead of an initial court appearance.
Kirk, 31, was shot while taking part in a debate at the university on Wednesday. The conservative activist was struck in the neck, according to officials, and was later pronounced dead. Investigators have said they believe the shooting was carried out by a lone gunman.
Patel said Robinson is not cooperating with investigators following his arrest and that the FBI used an "aggressive interview posture" to corroborate evidence about the note. Officials have described work to piece together a motive as ongoing; investigators interviewed family members, executed a search warrant at Robinson's family's home in Washington, Utah, and reviewed digital messages and other materials recovered during their probe.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said investigators found engravings on bullet casings in the rifle authorities believe was used in the attack and that messages on chat platforms attributed to the suspect raised concerns that Robinson "disliked" Kirk and may have been "radicalized" online. Cox said family members and friends described Robinson's politics as shifting in recent years as he spent time in what the governor called "the dark corners of the internet."
Officials said a roommate who also was a romantic partner — identified by Cox as a male transitioning to female — has cooperated with investigators and said they had no prior knowledge of any plan to harm Kirk. Messages attributed to participants on the chat platform Discord, provided to The New York Times and discussed by authorities, show participants jokingly tagged Robinson in posts after surveillance images of the suspected shooter circulated online. One user posted "wya" with a skull emoji after sharing the surveillance photos; Robinson allegedly responded, "My doppelganger's trying to get me in trouble," according to the messages cited by authorities. In another exchange, a user wrote, "Tyler killed Charlie!!!!" as a joke, investigators said.
Surveillance images released by police showed a suspect wearing a long-sleeved dark top, long pants, sunglasses and a baseball cap with a triangle symbol. Authorities said it took nearly two days to identify and apprehend Robinson; law enforcement officials said he surrendered to police after his father persuaded him to turn himself in.
State voting records show Robinson is registered to vote but marked as inactive, indicating he did not participate in the two most recent general elections. His parents are registered Republicans. Records and family posts indicate Robinson was a high school honor student who scored in the 99th percentile on national standardized tests and was admitted to Utah State University in 2021 on an academic scholarship but attended only one semester. He is currently enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George.
Investigators executed a search warrant at the family home about 240 miles southwest of the university and continued to review digital communications and physical evidence as they prepare formal charges. Authorities said DNA and forensic traces helped place Robinson at key locations tied to the shooting and disposal of the weapon.
Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, delivered public remarks Friday evening from the office where her husband had hosted his podcast. She described his loves — his children, nature, the Chicago Cubs and his devotion to his family — and issued a message to those responsible for his death without naming Robinson specifically. "You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry," she said.
Local and federal investigators have continued to decline to speculate publicly about a motive as they gather evidence and interview witnesses. Officials said more information may be disclosed once Robinson appears in court and as forensic and digital examinations progress.
The case has drawn national attention and prompted renewed scrutiny of safety at campus events and the role of online communities in influencing violent acts. Law enforcement agencies said they are coordinating as they complete forensic testing, review electronic communications and prepare the charging documents to be presented in the coming days.