‘We got him:’ Suspect wanted for Charlie Kirk assassination captured, authorities confirm
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- A mugshot of Tyler Robinson, the man suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, is shown.
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- Well-wishers pay their respects at a makeshift memorial at the national headquarters of Turning Point USA in Phoenix, shown after the shooting death of Charlie Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the organization, during a Utah college event Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025.
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- A mugshot of Tyler Robinson, the man suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, is shown.
Less than two days after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, a Southern Utah man who authorities say is responsible for the act is in custody.
22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested in Washington County where he resides late Thursday night. He was transported northward and booked into the Utah County Jail early Friday morning, Gov. Spencer Cox announced during a press conference Friday morning.
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen. We got him,” Cox said at the start of the briefing.
The governor confirmed the news hours after President Donald Trump made the announcement about the latest development during a segment on the Fox News Channel earlier Friday morning.
“With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump announced.
Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political youth organization, Arizona-based Turning Point USA, when a shot rang out from the top of a nearby building and struck him in the neck.
Kirk was rushed to nearby Timpanogos Regional Hospital where he later died.
Robinson was turned into the Washington County Sheriff’s Office by family members, according to Cox.
“On the evening of Sept. 11, a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident,” he told reporters.
That information was relayed to law enforcement in Utah County, UVU and the FBI.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the apprehension of the suspect “historic” given efforts from local, state and national authorities to capture the suspect.
“I just want to express my gratitude for giving us the resources we need to operate in this space, to bring this sort of justice at this sort of speed,” he said, “In 33 hours, we have made historic progress for Charlie.”
During Friday’s briefing, Cox said investigators reviewed additional video footage from UVU surveillance and identified Robinson arriving on campus in a gray Dodge Challenger just before 8:30 Wednesday morning, just hours ahead of Kirk’s speaking engagement.
Cox added that Robinson is observed in that video wearing a plain maroon T-shirt, light colored shorts, a black hat with a white logo and light colored shoes.
“When encountered in person by investigators in Washington County on Sept. 12, in the early morning hours, Robinson was observed in consistent clothing with those surveillance images,” Cox said.
A probable cause affidavit states that at around 12:02 p.m., the suspect was seen walking near the north side of the Losee Center building on UVU’s campus and entered through the southeast doors.
By 12:15 p.m., he went upstairs to the common area, climbed over a short wall onto the rooftop, crouched there and then stood up and began running across the rooftop at approximately 12:22 p.m., according to the affidavit.
According to surveillance camera footage, the suspect was “wearing a dark colored hat, sunglasses, a long sleeve black shirt with a picture of an American flag and
an eagle printed on the shirt, dark colored jeans, and white/gray shoes with white colored shoelaces (the shoes appear to be consistent with Chuck Taylor/Converse style shoes),” the affidavit stated.
The affidavit added that the suspect was also carrying a dark-colored backpack.
“Investigators interviewed a family member of Robinson, who stated that Robinson had become more political in recent years,” the affidavit stated.
The affidavit continued:
“The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner, prior to September 10, 2025, and in conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU. They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate. The family member also confirmed Robinson had a grey Dodge Challenger.”
Authorities said more than 7,000 tips were received by the public and more than 200 interviews with witnesses had been conducted in assistance to help capture the individual connected to the act.
Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith thanked community members and partnering law enforcement agencies for their support since the shooting.
“I would like to thank the public who turned to prayers and who turned to positivity for us,” he said. “I would like to thank them on behalf of the law enforcement community, because we needed those prayers. That’s what we needed to get through this.”
Friday afternoon, Utah Valley University announced in a press release its plans for a “phased return to campus.”
Campus employees will return to campus on Monday to prepare for any support efforts students may need.
Student Services will be available beginning Tuesday, and classes are set to resume on Wednesday, according to the UVU release.
In a video posted to the university’s YouTube page Friday afternoon, UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez expressed condolences to the Kirk family and expressed sympathy to those who witnessed the act.
“I grieve with everyone who has been affected. I recognize the trauma you experienced and we are here to support you,” she said.
Robinson faces several recommended state charges. Those include suspicion of aggravated murder and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, both first-degree felonies, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, according to court documents. Aggravated murder carries the potential for the death penalty.
The Utah County Attorney’s Office is expected to file formal charges against Robinson on Tuesday, according to a county spokesperson. An initial court appearance is set for 3 p.m., Tuesday in which Robinson is expected to appear remotely, according to the county attorney’s office.
The FBI said its investigation into the case is ongoing.
Standard-Examiner editor Ryan Comer contributed to this report.
