Utah Department of Public Safety Beau Mason, FBI director Kash Patel, Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Sheriff Mike Smith attend a press conference outside the Doterra Auditorium at Utah Valley University on September 12, 2025.
FBI Names 22-Year-Old Tyler Robinson as Charlie Kirk Murder Suspect
Law enforcement sources subsequently told CNN that "the suspect in the murder of Charlie Kirk confessed to his father that he was the shooter."
This is a developing story... Please check back for possible updates...
Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced on Friday that 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson had been arrested as the suspect in the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Cox said that Robinson was apprehended after being turned in by his family after he allegedly confessed to murdering Kirk on Wednesday.
The Utah governor also elaborated on some of the engravings that were found on bullet casings that were found on the scene. One of the messages, claimed Cox, said, "Hey fascist! Catch!" while another had the words: "If you read this you are gay lmao."
US President Donald Trump was the first to assert Friday morning that law enforcement officials have apprehended a suspect in the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
During an appearance on "Fox & Friends," the president said that he believed "with a high degree of certainty" that law enforcement had the suspect in custody.
"I just heard about it five minutes before I walked in, as I'm walking in, they said, 'Looking real good,' they have the person they wanted," he said. "So you have breaking news, don't you?"
Trump: "I just heard about it five minutes before I walked in ... they have the person that they wanted. So you have breaking news, don't you eh? You always have breaking news, Ainsley. Sean's gonna be very disappointed that we're not doing it on his show." pic.twitter.com/0mBjZk0sNR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 12, 2025
Trump also said that a person who knew the suspect provided information on him to law enforcement officials that led to his arrest, although he offered no details. He said that the FBI would likely make an announcement on the suspect later on Friday.
Shortly after Trump made this announcement, law enforcement sources gave CNN some additional details that seemingly corroborated Trump's claims about having a suspect in custody.
"The suspect in the murder of Charlie Kirk confessed to his father that he was the shooter," wrote CNN's Kristen Holmes in a social media post. "His father told authorities and secured his son until they could arrive to pick him up."
While much remains unclear, several outlets—including NBC News, The Daily Beast, New York Post, and others—identified the individual in custody as a 22-year-old with the name Tyler Robinson. Many of the other details surrounding the individual's arrest could not be independently verified by Common Dreams.
In the hours after Kirk's assassination, law enforcement officials took two people into custody, only for those people to be released shortly after officials determined they had nothing to do with the killing.
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This is a developing story... Please check back for possible updates...
Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced on Friday that 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson had been arrested as the suspect in the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Cox said that Robinson was apprehended after being turned in by his family after he allegedly confessed to murdering Kirk on Wednesday.
The Utah governor also elaborated on some of the engravings that were found on bullet casings that were found on the scene. One of the messages, claimed Cox, said, "Hey fascist! Catch!" while another had the words: "If you read this you are gay lmao."
US President Donald Trump was the first to assert Friday morning that law enforcement officials have apprehended a suspect in the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
During an appearance on "Fox & Friends," the president said that he believed "with a high degree of certainty" that law enforcement had the suspect in custody.
"I just heard about it five minutes before I walked in, as I'm walking in, they said, 'Looking real good,' they have the person they wanted," he said. "So you have breaking news, don't you?"
Trump: "I just heard about it five minutes before I walked in ... they have the person that they wanted. So you have breaking news, don't you eh? You always have breaking news, Ainsley. Sean's gonna be very disappointed that we're not doing it on his show." pic.twitter.com/0mBjZk0sNR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 12, 2025
Trump also said that a person who knew the suspect provided information on him to law enforcement officials that led to his arrest, although he offered no details. He said that the FBI would likely make an announcement on the suspect later on Friday.
Shortly after Trump made this announcement, law enforcement sources gave CNN some additional details that seemingly corroborated Trump's claims about having a suspect in custody.
"The suspect in the murder of Charlie Kirk confessed to his father that he was the shooter," wrote CNN's Kristen Holmes in a social media post. "His father told authorities and secured his son until they could arrive to pick him up."
While much remains unclear, several outlets—including NBC News, The Daily Beast, New York Post, and others—identified the individual in custody as a 22-year-old with the name Tyler Robinson. Many of the other details surrounding the individual's arrest could not be independently verified by Common Dreams.
In the hours after Kirk's assassination, law enforcement officials took two people into custody, only for those people to be released shortly after officials determined they had nothing to do with the killing.
- Inflaming Tensions, Trump Threatens Political Left With Retribution Over Killing of Charlie Kirk ›
- As Charlie Kirk Killed on Utah Campus, 3 Teens Hurt in Colorado High School Shooting ›
- WSJ, Media Outlets Slammed for Spreading Feds' False Claim That Kirk Shooter Expressed 'Transgender Ideology' | Common Dreams ›
- Miller Says He and Trump Will Use Law Enforcement to 'Dismantle' the Left After Kirk Shooting | Common Dreams ›
- Leaked Chats Show Alleged Kirk Killer 'Doesn't Fit Into Any Tidy Narrative' | Common Dreams ›
This is a developing story... Please check back for possible updates...
Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced on Friday that 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson had been arrested as the suspect in the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Cox said that Robinson was apprehended after being turned in by his family after he allegedly confessed to murdering Kirk on Wednesday.
The Utah governor also elaborated on some of the engravings that were found on bullet casings that were found on the scene. One of the messages, claimed Cox, said, "Hey fascist! Catch!" while another had the words: "If you read this you are gay lmao."
US President Donald Trump was the first to assert Friday morning that law enforcement officials have apprehended a suspect in the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
During an appearance on "Fox & Friends," the president said that he believed "with a high degree of certainty" that law enforcement had the suspect in custody.
"I just heard about it five minutes before I walked in, as I'm walking in, they said, 'Looking real good,' they have the person they wanted," he said. "So you have breaking news, don't you?"
Trump: "I just heard about it five minutes before I walked in ... they have the person that they wanted. So you have breaking news, don't you eh? You always have breaking news, Ainsley. Sean's gonna be very disappointed that we're not doing it on his show." pic.twitter.com/0mBjZk0sNR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 12, 2025
Trump also said that a person who knew the suspect provided information on him to law enforcement officials that led to his arrest, although he offered no details. He said that the FBI would likely make an announcement on the suspect later on Friday.
Shortly after Trump made this announcement, law enforcement sources gave CNN some additional details that seemingly corroborated Trump's claims about having a suspect in custody.
"The suspect in the murder of Charlie Kirk confessed to his father that he was the shooter," wrote CNN's Kristen Holmes in a social media post. "His father told authorities and secured his son until they could arrive to pick him up."
While much remains unclear, several outlets—including NBC News, The Daily Beast, New York Post, and others—identified the individual in custody as a 22-year-old with the name Tyler Robinson. Many of the other details surrounding the individual's arrest could not be independently verified by Common Dreams.
In the hours after Kirk's assassination, law enforcement officials took two people into custody, only for those people to be released shortly after officials determined they had nothing to do with the killing.
- Inflaming Tensions, Trump Threatens Political Left With Retribution Over Killing of Charlie Kirk ›
- As Charlie Kirk Killed on Utah Campus, 3 Teens Hurt in Colorado High School Shooting ›
- WSJ, Media Outlets Slammed for Spreading Feds' False Claim That Kirk Shooter Expressed 'Transgender Ideology' | Common Dreams ›
- Miller Says He and Trump Will Use Law Enforcement to 'Dismantle' the Left After Kirk Shooting | Common Dreams ›
- Leaked Chats Show Alleged Kirk Killer 'Doesn't Fit Into Any Tidy Narrative' | Common Dreams ›