Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of aggravated murder after authorities said he fatally shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk at an event at Utah Valley University earlier this week. Federal and local investigators said surveillance footage, physical evidence recovered near the scene and digital messages quickly linked Robinson to the killing and led to a 33‑hour manhunt that ended when he surrendered to law enforcement.
Police and FBI officials said Robinson arrived on the UVU campus at about 8:29 a.m. on Wednesday and was captured on camera climbing a stairwell to the roof of the Losee Center shortly before Kirk began speaking at an open‑air event. Kirk appeared at about 12:09 p.m., and investigators said a single shot fired from the south‑east edge of the roof struck and killed the conservative activist at about 12:23 p.m. Surveillance video then captured a figure running across the roof, jumping down onto the grass and fleeing across campus.
Authorities said multiple investigative threads connected the footage of the suspect to Robinson. Surveillance showed the man wearing a plain maroon T‑shirt, light shorts, a black hat and light Converse shoes; investigators said the same shoes were identifiable in family photographs on social media. Investigators said the suspect drove a gray Dodge Challenger to the campus and was seen on cameras before and after the shooting. A footprint matching the shoes was observed where the suspect jumped to the lawn, officials said.
Officials said the gunman dumped a high‑powered Mauser bolt‑action rifle in a wooded area near campus, wrapping the weapon in a black towel. Investigators recovered the rifle and cartridge casings engraved with messages and symbols; officials said one casing bore a line from the World War II Italian anti‑fascist song “Bella Ciao,” and another appeared to reference the video game Helldivers 2. The casings also contained symbols investigators said corresponded to a stratagem code used in that game. The FBI transported evidence to its laboratory in Quantico for analysis, officials said.
Law enforcement officials said Robinson then used the Discord app to message a roommate, asking that the rifle be retrieved and describing where it had been left. Investigators who reviewed the messages said they included a photograph of the location. The roommate later showed the messages to the FBI, officials said.
Federal authorities released surveillance images the morning after the shooting and, within hours, announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Police said they intensified searches across the area and deployed aerial assets as part of the effort to locate the suspect. The following evening, Robinson walked into a sheriff’s office in southwestern Utah and was taken into custody wearing the same clothes he had been seen in on campus, authorities said. Police described him as compliant during his arrest.
Robinson’s parents, who live in a suburban town about 260 miles southwest of the university, spoke with law enforcement and, according to authorities, worked with local clergy to persuade him to surrender. Authorities released few details about where Robinson spent the night after fleeing the campus or about any movements between the time of the shooting and his surrender.
The shooting drew immediate national attention and renewed questions about security at political events. Charlie Kirk founded the conservative student organization Turning Point USA and is a prominent right‑wing commentator who has been closely associated with former President Donald Trump. After the arrest, Trump said in public remarks that “with a high degree of certainty, we have him,” and suggested someone close to the suspect had helped lead authorities to the suspect.
Investigators cautioned against early characterizations about the shooter’s training or intent, noting that initial speculation that the attack had been carried out by a professional marksman was undercut by the mistakes investigators said Robinson made. Those errors, officials and family members said, included being repeatedly caught on campus surveillance cameras, leaving easily traceable footwear impressions, using his own vehicle to travel to and from the scene and dumping the weapon within sight of the campus. Investigators said those factors helped them rapidly reconstruct the suspect’s movements.
Authorities said charges are pending and the FBI and local prosecutors are continuing to examine the digital and physical evidence recovered at the scene and from Robinson. The investigation remains active, and officials said they expect to release additional information as forensic analysis and interviews are completed.