3 days ago
9
The suspect, 22, was arrested in southwestern Utah after a friend had contacted the authorities, officials said.
Sept. 12, 2025Updated 1:06 p.m. ET
After a two-day manhunt to find the gunman in the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the authorities announced on Friday that they had arrested a suspect.
That person, Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody about 250 miles from the campus of Utah Valley University, where Mr. Kirk, a conservative activist and Trump ally, was fatally shot in the neck during a speaking appearance, officials said.
“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen — we got him,” Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah said.
Here’s what we know about the suspect so far:
His family thought he might have been the gunman.
The suspect was taken into custody at 11 p.m. local time on Thursday night by Utah state and local police. He was arrested in Washington County in the southwest part of the state near Zion National Park.
He was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of justice, all felonies, according to an affidavit filed in court. Officials say they believe he acted alone. He had not been convicted of any crimes in the past, according to court records.
Mr. Cox said on Friday that a family member of the suspect contacted a family friend after the shooting. That friend then got in touch with a sheriff’s office and told officers that the suspect had confessed, or suggested that he killed Mr. Kirk.
The authorities said they had extensive evidence that tied the suspect to the killing, including statements to relatives suggesting that he committed the crime, social media messages and physical evidence.
Video surveillance footage from Utah Valley University showed the suspect arriving near the campus in a Dodge Challenger on Wednesday morning, about four hours before the attack.
Utah State University says that the suspect attended Utah State University for one semester in 2021. A spokeswoman adds that he was a pre-engineering major and took classes consistent with that major.
Officials say the casings found with the gun contained messages.
Officials said the casings and cartridge found alongside the gun that they said the suspect used to kill Mr. Kirk also had written messages on them.
One of those casings contained the words “Bella ciao,” Mr. Cox said on Friday. That is an apparent reference to an Italian song adopted by the antifascist resistance during World War II. It is still sung by the Italian left to commemorate the end of fascism.
Mr. Cox also said that he believed that an engraving on an unfired cartridge that read “Hey, fascist! Catch!” showed the gunman’s intent.
Christina Morales is a Times reporter covering Latino communities in the United States.
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs reports on national stories across the United States with a focus on criminal justice. He is from upstate New York.
Glenn Thrush covers the Department of Justice for The Times and has also written about gun violence, civil rights and conditions in the country’s jails and prisons.
