Charlie Kirk assassination: All about the shooter Tyler Robinson

Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk's suspected shooter, has been taken into custody. For those unversed, American political activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead on Wednesday, September 10, while speaking at an event held at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Kirk was shot in the neck while sitting under a white tent, speaking to an audience about mass shootings and gun violence. A viral video shows a gunshot hitting Charlie before he recoils and collapses.

Subsequently, during an interview with Fox and Friends on Friday, September 12, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that after an intensive manhunt, the authorities took 22-year-old Tyler Robinson into custody in St. George, Utah, on Thursday night.

He confirmed that "somebody very close to him turned him in," and that there is a "high degree of certainty" that the authorities have arrested the suspect.

Meanwhile, the next day in a press conference, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox revealed that Robinson's arrest came after a family member of his reached out to a family friend, who then contacted the authorities that he had "confessed to them or implied that he committed the incident." He stated that the 22-year-old's "family and a friend helped to deliver him into the custody of law enforcement in Washington County."

The announcement of Robinson's arrest came a day after authorities released multiple images of the potential suspect and a video showing a man leaving the campus after the shooting toward a wooded area off campus, wearing Converse shoes, a cap, sunglasses, and a long-sleeved shirt.

A Mauser .30-calibre, bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel was later discovered in the wooden area, believed to be used in Kirk's murder.

Yes Tyler robinson was a registered republician in Utah, according to state records. pic.twitter.com/iMLD25xG02

— Sisu0916🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@hazel09161) September 12, 2025

According to reports, the clothes Robinson was wearing when he turned himself in to authorities matched those he wore during the shooting. Additionally, his car matched the vehicle seen in the surveillance footage from that day, which captured him entering the University.

Tyler, who grew up in Washington, Utah, is a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College, per a statement by the Utah Board of Higher Education released on September 12.

He graduated from Pine View High School in St. George in 2021 and "briefly attended Utah State University for one semester in 2021." He has no previous criminal record.

"He previously spent one semester at Utah State University in 2021 and earned concurrent enrolment credits through Utah Tech University while in high school between 2019 and 2021," the statement added.

Tyler Robinson speaks with a family member about Charlie Kirk's last event before death - Reports

In the aforementioned news briefing, Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated that a family member of Tyler Robinson, interviewed by authorities, claimed that Tyler mentioned Charlie Kirk's upcoming visit to Utah Valley University during a dinner before September 10.

"They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate," Spencer said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Xander Luke, a high school classmate of Robinson, said that "he was politically active and outspoken about people's rights," and that Tyler "thought both political sides were contributing to a country being in a worse place and not improving the world."

The BBC cited a Utah County Sheriff inmate booking sheet, which stated that Tyler Robinson is accused of "aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and felony discharge of a firearm."