The FBI has identified Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah as a suspect in the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. President Donald Trump announced Friday that Robinson had been detained with the help of "somebody very close to him." Utah authorities later said that Robinson had confessed, either explicitly or impliedly, to a family friend that he was the gunman who opened fire. The friend called local law enforcement, which then arrested him.
FBI Director Kash Patel and Utah Governor Spencer Cox spoke about the investigation at a press conference. They added that Robinson was believed to have acted alone, but the investigation remains active. "We do not have any information on further arrests at this time," Cox said.
Officials also revealed Robinson's motive. He hated Charlie Kirk and believed he "spread hate," according to relatives. Robinson had attended a family dinner in advance of the September 10 event, and during that time is said to have broached Kirk's upcoming visit to Utah Valley University as "filled with so much hate."
Investigators found that Robinson premeditated the attack through Discord, a widely used online chat service. His roommate had access to the conversations in which Robinson boasted of concealing a rifle in bushes on campus, wrapping it in a towel, and scoping out the scene before firing. The Discord chats also included discussion of changing clothes to avoid detection after the attack.
Along with digital evidence, investigators uncovered disturbing physical clues. At the scene, there were three unfired bullet shells with suspect markings. One read, "Hey fascist! catch!" Another contained lyrics from the Italian protest song "Bella Ciao." The third bore a derogatory comment: "if you read this, you are gay lmao." Officials said the messages were surfacing as with a window into Robinson's mind, but they did not detail what he had said.
The governor, Cox, said the messages sent via Discord, physical evidence and Robinson's private comments showed there had been a well-planned but sole attack. "We are comfortable at this time that we do not believe it was part of a broader conspiracy," he said.
Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025, while addressing his "Prove Me Wrong" event at Utah Valley University. His death set off a manhunt across the country that culminated in Robinson's arrest.
National leaders are offering condolences to Kirk's widow, Erika Frantzve Kirk. Former President Trump said she was "devastated" after he spoke with her directly.
The FBI is also investigating Robinson's weapon, clothing and online communications. Further information will be provided as forensic services move forward.
