Authorities give update on Charlie Kirk suspected shooter as they address his disturbing messages
Authorities have given an update on Charlie Kirk’s suspected shooter.
Disturbing messages sent between Tyler Robinson and his friends were revealed, as the FBI interviewed the 22-year-old’s roommate.
He is suspected of shooting the conservative ‘activist’ dead on Wednesday (10 September) as he spoke at an event at Utah Valley University (UVU).
Kirk was hit by a single shot in the neck, and shortly after being rushed to hospital by his security team, President Donald Trump announced that his ally was dead.
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Robinson was arrested on Friday after a 33-hour manhunt as the commander-in-chief revealed a person ‘close’ to him had ‘turned him in’ to authorities.
Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox has said that the suspect has remained silent since he was taken into custody and is ‘not cooperating’.
During an interview with CNN on Sunday morning, the governor was asked to ‘elaborate’ and ‘be more specific’ on the claim that the suspect was ‘a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology’.
This came as host Dana Bash pressed to get an update on what the motive may have been to shoot Kirk.
“So that information comes from the people around him, from his family members and friends. That's how we got that information,” the governor explained.
“Again, there's so much more that we're learning and so much more that we will learn. There will be -- official charges will be filed on Tuesday and there will be much more evidence and information available then.”
As investigations continue and Cox suggests the public will receive more information tomorrow, he added: “And, again, we're interviewing all kinds of people, everyone that knows him and trying to learn more about what that motive actually was.”
Cox would not reveal the details of ‘discussions’ Robinson had with family members about Kirk, but said: “Just not a fan. That’s all I can say.”
The governor, however, did share information during interviews about messages Robinson had allegedly sent on the online platform Discord after the Trump ally’s death.
He was tagged in messages as users wrote ‘wya’ with a skull emoji, suggesting he looked like the man being sought by the FBI. Robinson allegedly joked that it was his ‘doppelganger’ who was trying to ‘get me in trouble’.
“Tyler killed Charlie!!!” another user then wrote as one group chat member reportedly went on to suggest turning Robinson in to receive the $100,000 reward the FBI had offered up. “Only if I get a cut,” said Robinson.
“Whatever you do, don’t go to a McDonald’s anytime soon,” one user joked, referencing killer Luigi Mangion.
The suspect then allegedly responded that he ‘better also get rid of this manifesto and exact copy rifle I have lying around’, before saying the alleged killer was ‘CLEARLY’ from California.
Discord has denied that its platform was involved in any planning of the incident.
Cox added to ABC News of Robinson: "He has not confessed to authorities. He is not cooperating, but all the people around him are cooperating. And I think that's very important."
Topics: Charlie Kirk, Crime, Politics, US News, Tyler Robinson
Jess Battison