A 71-year-old man who loudly told officers he had shot conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at a Utah college event has been charged with obstruction after he told investigators he staged the confession to divert attention from the actual shooter, court records show.
George Zinn approached police at Utah Valley University immediately after Kirk was shot and yelled, "I shot him, now shoot me," according to police accounts reviewed by local media. Officers said Zinn was unarmed and was taken into custody; later interviews and court filings indicate he admitted he did not kill Kirk and said he wanted to "draw attention from the real shooter."
Court documents cited by Fox 13 say Zinn made additional statements after being transported to a hospital for a medical issue, telling authorities he "wanted to be a martyr for the person who was shot." Police said Zinn's initial statements diverted investigators and consumed law enforcement resources at a critical point in the probe. He faces a charge of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.
Video from the chaotic scene showed Zinn being led away by officers with his pants around his ankles as students watched, and members of the crowd initially believed he was the shooter, police said. "He said he shot him, but I don't know," an officer is recorded telling the crowd as Zinn was removed.
Authorities have identified another suspect, Tyler Robinson, who was taken into custody Thursday after his father turned him in, officials and media reports said. Investigators are exploring whether an "extended network" may have aided or abetted Robinson, who authorities say had dropped out of college and was living with a male-to-female transgender partner. There is no indication in filings or statements that Zinn and Robinson knew one another.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told the Salt Lake Tribune that Zinn is a familiar presence at political events and other public gatherings in the region. "Almost every political event you can think of, there was always George somewhere in the background, listening," Gill said. Gill characterized Zinn as "odd" at times and said he has prosecuted Zinn on prior matters.
Records cited in media reports indicate Zinn has a prior criminal history, including a 2013 incident in which he threatened to bomb the Salt Lake City Marathon; he served a year in custody related to that threat, the reports said.
The shooting and its immediate aftermath set off a rapid and complex law enforcement response at the university event, during which officers had to sort competing accounts and secure the scene. Police said Zinn's false confession complicated that response at a time when detectives were seeking to identify and locate the actual shooter.
Investigators have not disclosed a motive for the attack on Kirk, and an investigation into whether anyone aided the alleged shooter remains ongoing. Authorities have not publicly released charging documents against Robinson beyond his arrest, and law enforcement officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the obstruction charge against Zinn.
The events have drawn attention to security at public political events and to the challenges posed by bystanders who make false or misleading claims in the immediate aftermath of violent incidents. Prosecutors said they will proceed with the obstruction case against Zinn while continuing the broader investigation into the shooting and any possible accomplices.