A Utah man charged with fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk surrendered to authorities last week, telling investigators he feared being shot by police and requested a peaceful handover, officials said. Tyler Robinson, 22, turned himself in with his parents at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office the day after Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University, the sheriff involved in the surrender said.
Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Robinson with capital murder and announced they would seek the death penalty, releasing a series of incriminating messages and DNA evidence they say link him to the Sept. 10 incident. Kirk, a founder of Turning Point USA and longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, was shot during a campus appearance.
Campus officials said students returned to classrooms on Wednesday as counseling services were offered and care stations provided support in the wake of the attack. Some students described a measured return to normalcy, while others remained visibly quiet as they processed the loss of a prominent political figure who had energized conservative youth movements.
Investigators said that after Robinson fired a single fatal shot from a rooftop overlooking the event, he texted his romantic partner and instructed them to look under a keyboard; a note was later found stating, I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it. Authorities have also said DNA found on the rifle’s trigger matched Robinson.
Further inquiries are examining whether anyone else knew of the plan or helped Robinson, though authorities have not publicly identified a second suspect. The partner, who investigators say is transgender, has cooperated with authorities, and police have said the partner shared information with investigators. Prosecutors have not charged the partner.
Robinson’s family declined to comment to the Associated Press after his arrest. In a separate court filing, a judge read the charges on Tuesday and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson was not immediately available for comment.
The shooting has intensified national political debates about violence and online platforms. President Donald Trump has threatened to crack down on what he calls the radical left, while former President Barack Obama argued this week that Trump’s rhetoric has deepened division. On the legislative side, the House Oversight Committee asked the chief executives of Discord, Steam, Twitch and Reddit to testify about how their platforms regulate violence online, signaling a shift for Republicans who have previously scrutinized platforms over free-speech concerns.
Utah Valley University on Wednesday announced a campus security review as the school handles a delicate re-entry for students and staff. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox spoke with students and campus leaders near the shooting scene, telling them that while anger and sadness are understandable, how they handle those emotions will influence the country’s direction. What you do with that anger, he said, will determine where the country goes from here.