The man identified by authorities as the suspected shooter in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk posted mocking messages in a private Discord chat within hours of the attack, according to messages obtained by The New York Times, and later surrendered to police, officials said.
Screenshots and chat logs verified by The New York Times depict the 22-year-old suspect, identified by police as Tyler Robinson, trading meme-laced jokes with acquaintances while investigators worked to identify and locate the gunman. Robinson has been arrested and is expected to face formal charges including aggravated murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, prosecutors said.
Authorities say Kirk, 31, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck and killed Wednesday during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem. Police and federal agents said the gunman climbed to a roof a few hundred feet from the venue, fired a single fatal shot and fled the campus. The FBI released surveillance stills showing a young man in sunglasses and a cap walking through a stairwell at the university; the images circulated publicly as the manhunt unfolded.
According to the messages obtained by The New York Times, Robinson responded to jibes in the chat with remarks such as, "My doppelganger's trying to get me in trouble" and quips about reward money, saying he would take a cut if turned in. He also referenced a manifesto and an "exact copy rifle" in at least one exchange, and made jokes about media narratives and political fallout as coverage of the shooting intensified.
Members of the roughly 20-person Discord group, many of whom had known each other from high school or online communities, posted screenshots of news coverage and exchanged disbelief when authorities announced Robinson's arrest, the messages show. One user wrote, "Our governor wants to give him the death penalty dude," while another said, "I truly cannot distinguish if this is for real."
Police said Robinson eventually indicated involvement in the shooting and surrendered to law enforcement in southwestern Utah after his family urged him to turn himself in. Investigators spent Friday collecting evidence at an apartment Robinson shared with a roommate in St. George, Utah, authorities said.
Officials later confirmed that shell casings recovered at the scene were engraved with phrases, including the words "Hey fascist! CATCH!," lyrics from an anti-fascist Italian song and a sexually explicit meme reference, according to law enforcement statements. The messages in the Discord chat show Robinson discussing details of the ongoing investigation and what was being reported, at times correcting or mocking media accounts.
Public reaction to Kirk's death included vigils and tributes across conservative media, and statements from national political figures. The shooting has intensified scrutiny of political violence and campus security, prompting federal and local authorities to coordinate the probe.
Police have not publicly released a motive. Authorities said investigators would present evidence to local prosecutors, who planned to file formal charges on Tuesday. The investigation remains active, and officials have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Kirk, a prominent conservative organizer and media figure, drew both supporters and protesters to the Utah event. The killing has sparked renewed debate over political rhetoric and safety at public events, and it has drawn attention from federal law enforcement because of the high-profile nature of the victim and the allegations surrounding the shooter.
As legal proceedings move forward, the verified messages from the private chat provide prosecutors and the public a contemporaneous glimpse into the suspect's online behavior in the hours after the shooting. Authorities have said they will continue to develop and present the case based on evidence collected at the scene, digital communications and witness accounts.