Tyler Robinson, 22, the man arrested in the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, joked with acquaintances on the messaging platform Discord that he resembled the man shown in surveillance photos of the suspect, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday.
Robinson was taken into custody on Friday after nearly two days of investigation and the release of surveillance images from Utah Valley University, where Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck while taking part in a campus debate. Officials have said Kirk later died from his wound.
"Those conversations definitely were happening," Cox told ABC News, describing messages in which acquaintances shared the surveillance pictures and tagged Robinson. Messages obtained by The New York Times show a user posted the images and asked "wya" — shorthand for "where you at" — and Robinson responded, according to the reports, writing that his "doppelganger's trying to get me in trouble." Other messages in the group chat included joking accusations such as "Tyler killed Charlie!!!!" and comments about turning him in for a reward. In one exchange, Robinson reportedly wrote, "Only if I get a cut," when someone mentioned the FBI reward.
Authorities have said they are reviewing additional material found in the course of the investigation. Jud Hoffman, vice president of trust and safety at Discord, said the company saw communications between the suspect's roommate and a friend after the shooting in which the roommate recounted the alleged contents of a note left elsewhere. Cox said prosecutors and investigators are still processing the note and that its contents will be included in charging documents if verified.
Officials also disclosed that casings recovered at the scene bore engraved markings. Investigators said the casings included phrases referencing transgender and antifascist ideology, a phrase reported as "Hey fascist! CATCH!" and other inscriptions. Cox said he was focusing on both the online culture Robinson frequented and personal connections as investigators seek to determine motive.
Cox told NBC News that Robinson appeared to have become more politically radical after leaving Utah State University and moving back to southern Utah. "It seemed to happen kind of after that — after he moved back to the southern part of Utah," the governor said, adding that friends described extensive gaming and involvement in darker corners of the internet. Cox later told CNN that investigators are looking into Robinson's romantic relationship with his roommate, identified as Lance Twiggs, a man who is transitioning to female. Cox said Twiggs has been cooperating with authorities and that the relationship is being probed as a possible motive.
Investigators identified a suspect after reviewing hours of footage and other evidence and asked the public for help by releasing images of a person wearing a long-sleeved dark top, long pants, sunglasses and a baseball cap marked with a triangle. Robinson was persuaded to turn himself in after his father intervened, law enforcement officials said.
Robinson is expected to be formally charged in Kirk's death. Authorities have not publicly released the charging document as of Sunday, and investigators cautioned that they are still verifying details that will be included in court filings.
Those who knew Robinson in school and the community expressed shock at the arrest. A former classmate, Jaida Funk, described him to a local outlet as a "sharp, kind, respectful individual" and said she expected he would pursue business success rather than violence. Another former classmate who posted on TikTok called Robinson a "Reddit kid" and said students who spent substantial time online can become isolated and adopt extreme beliefs over time.
Public and private investigators continue to reconstruct the sequence of events on the day of the shooting. Kirk, a conservative activist and founder of a political organization, was speaking to students when he was shot. Federal and local authorities are cooperating in the probe, and Cox said the FBI has been involved in confirming aspects of the investigation.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials have urged patience as they corroborate digital records, witness accounts and physical evidence to prepare charging documents and determine the motive behind the attack.