A Utah man who drew officers' attention by repeatedly claiming he had shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk following an assassination at Utah Valley University has been charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and obstruction of justice, prosecutors said.
George Zinn, 71, approached a police officer in the immediate aftermath of the shooting and allegedly yelled, "I shot him, now shoot me," according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox News. The officer did not observe Zinn carrying a weapon, but Zinn was arrested after again demanding to be shot and refusing to say where any weapon might be hidden.
While being transported to the police station, Zinn reportedly walked back his admission and asked for an attorney. Investigators told him they did not believe he was the shooter, and the affidavit says Zinn later admitted he had made the false claims to "draw attention from the real shooter." He also told authorities he had wanted to "be a martyr for the person who was shot," and was taken to a local hospital for medical attention, the affidavit states.
Authorities said the false confession diverted law enforcement resources and delayed the search for the actual assailant in the crucial minutes after the attack. Videos showing Zinn being led away in handcuffs circulated online amid inaccurate claims that the shooter had been captured.
After Zinn was taken into custody, a search of his phone allegedly turned up images of child sexual abuse material. He was booked into the Utah County Jail on four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of obstruction of justice, the Utah County Sheriff's Office said. The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment, and a lawyer for Zinn could not be immediately identified.
Nearly 33 hours after the shooting, authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson in connection with Kirk's death, according to law enforcement statements. Utah prosecutors have prepared a potential death-penalty case against the suspect, officials said, though prosecutors must meet legal standards before seeking capital punishment.
As the university worked to reopen campus services for students and staff seeking counseling, memorials and tributes were placed on the lawn outside the campus center. The campus reopening and community response have been part of efforts to provide mental health resources and restore operations in the days following the attack.
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, had been scheduled to speak on the Orem, Utah, campus when the shooting occurred. The investigation into the assassination continued as prosecutors prepared charges against the arrested suspect and law enforcement reviewed the sequence of events that followed the attack.
Court dates and further details of charges against both Zinn and the accused shooter were pending, and authorities urged anyone with information related to the shooting or subsequent claims to contact investigators.