Tyler Robinson, 22, confessed to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, 2025, and was turned in by a relative after a 33-hour manhunt, law enforcement officials said Friday.
Federal authorities said Robinson admitted to the slaying during interviews after his capture. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, joined at a news conference by FBI Director Kash Patel, declared, "We got him," as officials described the close of the multiagency search.
Investigators said bullets found in the chamber of the rifle reportedly used in the shooting bore written messages, including the phrase "Hey fascist! Catch!" and a reference to the anti-fascist song "Oh, Bella Ciao!" Authorities said those markings are part of the evidence being examined as they probe motive and possible links to extremist rhetoric.
Family friends who spoke to media outlets described Robinson in the days before the attack as "full of hate," an assessment that officials said they would explore as part of the broader investigation. Authorities said a relative provided information that led to Robinson's arrest and that the suspect later acknowledged responsibility during questioning.
The killing of Kirk, a prominent right-wing activist and founder of a conservative organization, prompted an intensive search that spanned more than a day. Law enforcement agencies said the FBI led the federal component of the inquiry, working alongside state and local partners to locate and detain the suspect.
Officials provided limited immediate details about the circumstances of the shooting, the scene where Kirk was killed, or whether Robinson has been formally charged. Authorities said forensic testing and interviews are ongoing. A spokesperson at the FBI's field office declined to provide a timeline for the public release of additional evidence.
Law enforcement statements emphasized that the investigation remains active and that officials are reviewing the writings on the ammunition, communications and other evidence to determine whether the attack was politically motivated or tied to broader networks. The presence of slogans on ammunition has drawn public attention and raised questions that investigators said they would address through standard investigative methods.
Friends and acquaintances of Robinson who spoke with reporters characterized him as increasingly agitated in the days before the shooting. The accounts, relayed to media outlets, portray behavior that family friends said worried them, but those descriptions have not been independently corroborated by law enforcement.
Kirk's death has spurred calls for updates from political leaders and intensified scrutiny of violence against public figures. Officials urged the public to allow investigators to complete their work and to refrain from speculation while forensic analysis and witness interviews proceed.
Authorities said they will provide further information as it becomes available and that prosecutors will determine appropriate charges after reviewing the evidence gathered during the investigation.