The man accused in the Charlie Kirk assassination had earlier expressed to family his opposition to the viewpoints of the conservative activist, the authorities said Friday in announcing an arrest in a targeted killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in the United States, reported Associated Press.
Tyler Robinson, 22, had become “more political” in the run-up to the shooting and had indicated to a family friend afterward that he was responsible, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said. Cox also cited as key pieces of evidence engravings on bullets found in a rifle believed used in the attack as well as chatting app messages attributed to the shooting suspect that a roommate shared with law enforcement.
Cox, a Republican, called Kirk's killing an “attack on the American experiment,” and he urged a new generation to “choose a different path.”
Robinson is believed to have acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said.
Robinson's arrest early Friday morning was disclosed by President Donald Trump, who said in a Fox News Channel interview that, “With a high degree of certainty, we have him.”
Anti-fascist slogans were inscribed on two of the unused bullet casings found by authorities, reported AFP.
One cartridge had written on it, "Hey, fascist! Catch!", and another featured "Bella ciao," apparently a reference to a World War II-era Italian anti-fascist song, said Utah Governor Spencer Cox.
Calls to telephone numbers listed for Robinson in public records rang unanswered.
News of the arrest came hours after the FBI and state officials had pleaded for public help by releasing additional photographs of the suspect, a move that seemed to indicate that law enforcement was uncertain of the person's whereabouts.
Authorities took 33 hours to arrest the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, despite quickly locating the suspected murder weapon ,a high-powered hunting rifle, and releasing images of a young man in a baseball cap and casual clothes.
After mistakenly detaining and releasing two people unconnected to the case, investigators appeared to struggle, prompting officials in Orem to appeal to the public late Thursday with fresh details about the suspect’s clothing and movements immediately after the shooting.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the breakthrough came at 10 pm Thursday, crediting a tip that originated within the suspect’s family. Utah Governor confirmed that a family member of Robinson had confided in a friend, who then alerted local law enforcement about his apparent confession.
On Thursday, students at Utah Valley University voiced shock and fear over the assassination, citing the deepening political rifts across the country. “Watching it made me sick to my stomach,” said 26-year-old Dave Sanchez, who likened Kirk’s killing to losing a family member.
That evening, several hundred supporters gathered in Orem Park for a vigil, many wearing red MAGA caps and waving American flags as they prayed and held a moment of silence.
Trump said he wanted the death penalty for the gunman.
Reflecting the highly political nature of the killing, Kirk's coffin was transported to his home city of Phoenix on Vice President JD Vance's official plane.
Footage showed Vance with his hands on the casket as it was carried to Air Force 2.
Kirk, whom supporters have hailed as a martyr, co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to drive conservative viewpoints among young people, with his natural showmanship making him a go-to spokesman on television networks.
The father-of-two used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for anti-immigration policies, outspoken Christianity and gun ownership, and to spread carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.