As authorities searched for the person who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week, prosecutors say the suspect privately acknowledged the killing to his romantic partner in a series of text messages.
Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of firing a single fatal shot from a rooftop overlooking an outdoor venue at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, striking Kirk in the neck as he spoke to about 3,000 people, according to charging documents unsealed Tuesday. Robinson later texted the partner, who lived with him near St. George, Utah, saying, “I am, I’m sorry,” after the partner asked if he was the shooter, prosecutors said. The partner did not immediately report the messages to law enforcement, the documents say.
Investigators allege Robinson used a bolt-action rifle that had belonged to his grandfather and discarded the weapon and clothing after the shooting. DNA on the trigger matched Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said. Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George after his parents, recognizing him in a photo released by authorities, helped arrange his peaceful surrender, Gray said. Robinson appeared by video in a Utah courtroom Tuesday and was appointed an attorney; he stood mostly silent as charges were read.
Robinson was charged with capital murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstructing justice and witness tampering. The charging documents include two enhancements — for committing several crimes in front of or close to children and for carrying out violence based on the victim’s political beliefs — and prosecutors said he could face the death penalty. Gray said Robinson directed his partner to delete text messages and to conceal evidence, and the documents include a note the suspect allegedly left at home that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
Prosecutors said some texts suggest Robinson spent more than a week planning the attack, though they have not disclosed the specifics of that planning. Gray declined to say whether investigators had determined whether Kirk was targeted because of his outspoken anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people, prosecutors said.
Authorities have described an active investigation into whether others knew about or aided Robinson. FBI Director Kash Patel told a Senate panel Tuesday that agents are examining “anyone and everyone” who was in a gaming chatroom on the platform Discord with Robinson, a discussion he said involved “a lot more” than 20 people. Prosecutors have not publicly identified additional suspects.
Robinson has not cooperated with investigators, Gray said, though members of his family and friends have provided information. Prosecutors said Robinson’s mother told them her son had shifted politically over the past year, moving to the left and becoming more supportive of gay and transgender rights, while conversations at home reflected a contrast with his father, whom Robinson described in a text as a “diehard MAGA.” In other messages cited by prosecutors, Robinson wrote about attempting to retrieve his rifle from a “drop point” and expressed concern that authorities had “swept that spot.”
Kirk, 31, a father of two, was a national conservative organizer who founded Turning Point USA and cultivated a large following through social media, campus events and a podcast. He was credited by colleagues for energizing young conservative voters and was a confidant of former President Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign. His death has prompted renewed attention to political violence and deep partisan divisions in the United States.
In the days since the shooting, public reactions have included calls for greater civility across the political spectrum. At the same time, some of Kirk’s critics reiterated their opposition to his public remarks on gender, race and politics. Several Republican officials and supporters have pushed for consequences against people they say dishonored Kirk after his death, a campaign that has led to some public and private employees losing jobs or facing discipline, according to reporting on the aftermath.
Officials said the partner named in the charging documents is transgender; the documents did not identify the partner by name. Prosecutors have publicly thanked the partner for sharing information with law enforcement but have not said whether that person is a subject of the investigation.
The state investigation remains active. Prosecutors said additional interviews and forensic testing are underway as they seek to determine whether anyone else was involved in planning or assisting the attack. The legal process will continue with Robinson held in custody as he awaits further court proceedings.