The shooting suspect engraved writings on bullets he used. Three unfired casings also had inscriptions, Utah governor Cox confirmed. One read, “Hey fascists! Catch!”
What we know
The suspect arrested and accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been identified by officials as 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson.
Investigators interviewed a member of Robinson’s family, who said he had become more political in recent years. The family member said Robinson recently told them that Kirk was coming to Utah Valley University and the pair discussed how they didn’t like Kirk and the viewpoints he held.
Authorities said they recovered a “high-powered, bolt-action rifle” used in the shooting from a wooded area.
Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance arrived in Arizona last night with Kirk’s casket on board Air Force Two.
Suspect expected to be charged with aggravated murder
The suspect arrested in Charlie Kirk’s shooting is expected to be charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The offenses are all state charges.
Gov. Spencer Cox said that under Utah law, they have three days to file charging documents. He said that it should come “early next week.”
1h ago / 9:53 PM GMT+7
Officials believe suspect acted alone in shooting
Officials believe the suspect acted alone in Charlie Kirk’s shooting, Gov. Spencer Cox said at a morning news conference.
When asked by a reporter if he expects additional arrests, the governor said: “We do not at this time have any information that would lead to any additional arrests.”
A reporter then asked if he believed the suspect acted alone. “Yes, but the investigation is ongoing.”
2h ago / 9:40 PM GMT+7
‘Hey fascists! Catch!’ among inscriptions found on suspect’s weapons
Discord messages reviewed by investigators indicated that the shooting suspect engraved writings on bullets he used and that the rifle and scope he used were “unique,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said at a news conference this morning.
Officials found a bolt-action rifle wrapped in a dark towel yesterday in a wooded area on the edge of Utah Valley University. Cox said it was a Mauser model 98 bolt-action rifle. It had a scope mounted on it.
There were inscriptions on casings found within the rifle, Cox said. The inscription on the fired casing said: “notices, bulges, OWO, what’s this?”
Three unfired casings also had inscriptions, Cox said.
One read, “Hey fascists! Catch!” with an up arrow, a right arrow and three down arrows.
The second said, “Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao.”
The third, “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”
2h ago / 9:34 PM GMT+7
No indication of prior criminal history found for suspect
NBC News’ searches of state and national public records associated with Tyler Robinson’s name and date of birth found no indication of a prior criminal record.
2h ago / 9:27 PM GMT+7
Inscriptions found on bullet casings from suspect
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox confirmed that inscriptions were found on the bullet casings belonging to Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. One of the inscriptions had the lyrics to the Italian folk song “Bella Ciao.”
Inscriptions found on bullet casings from suspect
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2h ago / 9:26 PM GMT+7
FBI director says arrest was made in ‘historic time’
FBI Director Patel details release of information and investigation in Kirk shooting
04:37
The shooting suspect was detained last night, FBI Director Kash Patel said, thanking President Donald Trump, the federal government and the public for assistance.
“In 33 hours, we have made historic progress for Charlie,” he said at a morning news conference.
Patel highlighted the quick response from law enforcement after the shooting and the efforts made to take the suspect into custody quickly.
“The arrest is a testament to good law enforcement being great,” he said.
Patel said as of this morning, officials have over 11,000 leads that were called in to the FBI, and “we’re running out every single lead that we can.”
2h ago / 9:21 PM GMT+7
Shooting suspect was a student at Utah State University in 2021
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The suspect arrested in connection with Charlie Kirk’s shooting went to Utah State University for one semester in 2021, a spokesperson for the university confirmed to NBC News.
He was a pre-engineering major and took classes consistent with that major during the brief period he attended, according to university spokeswoman Amanda DeRito.
He then took a leave of absence.
The shooting took place at Utah Valley University. A spokesperson for that school said the suspect is not a student.
2h ago / 9:20 PM GMT+7
Utah Gov. Cox says suspect discussed Kirk’s upcoming appearance at Utah Valley State with family
Tyler Robinson, the shooting suspect, arrived on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday at 8:29 a.m. in a gray Dodge Challenger, wearing a plain maroon T-shirt, light-colored shorts and a black hat with a white logo, as seen in surveillance videos, Cox said.
When Washington County investigators approached the suspect this morning, Cox said he was wearing a similar outfit. Messages from the shooting suspect later reviewed by investigators indicated he had changed outfits.
Investigators interviewed a member of the man’s family, who said he had become more political in recent years. The person said Robinson recently told them that Kirk was coming to UVU and the pair discussed how they didn’t like Kirk and the viewpoints he held.
Officials also interviewed Robinson’s roommate, who showed investigators a number of Discord messages from the suspect, including ones that said he needed to get a rifle from a drop point and another about leaving that rifle in a bush, Cox said.
There were also messages that referred to the suspect watching the spot where he had left the rifle after Kirk’s shooting and that the rifle was wrapped in a towel, which is how officials found it yesterday.
2h ago / 9:09 PM GMT+7
Utah Gov. Cox: ‘We got him’
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced the arrest of Tyler Robinson, the suspect accused of shooting and killing Charlie Kirk on Wednesday.
‘We got him’: Utah governor confirms arrest of Kirk shooting suspect
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Cox said a family member of Robinson reached out to a family friend last night, who then contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had either confessed or implied that he had carried out Wednesday’s shooting.
2h ago / 8:53 PM GMT+7
Florida councilman facing calls to resign over post calling Kirk’s death ‘fitting sacrifice’
A councilman in the village of Palmetto Bay, Florida, is facing a backlash and growing calls for him to step down over a social media post about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In the since-deleted post, Councilman Steve Cody called Kirk’s assassination “a fitting sacrifice” with a graphic of the activist’s 2023 remarks that “it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year” for Second Amendment rights.
“Charlie Kirk is a fitting sacrifice to our Lords: Smith & Wesson. Hallowed be their names,” Cody wrote.
He spoke with NBC6 yesterday, addressing why he made the post and then deleted it.
“I will admit to you it was not well thought out,” Cody said. “I regret it because it was insensitive. I do think there’s a certain bit of irony in it, but it caused a lot of pain for people I know and people that I respect, and I took it down.”
Read the full story here.
3h ago / 8:14 PM GMT+7
White House defends Patel’s handling of the Kirk investigation
The White House is defending FBI Director Kash Patel’s handling of the investigation into the Charlie Kirk shooting. Patel posted on social media Wednesday that a suspect had been taken into custody; less than two hours later, he said that person was released.
In a statement, a White House official said:
“Director Patel is working night and day on this case. Anyone who doubts his resolve and dedication — especially when Charlie was such a close friend to him — simply is using this extremely sad moment in disgusting act of political gamesmanship. The focus is justice, and this killer will face the full wrath of the justice system.”
3h ago / 8:09 PM GMT+7
Suspect identified as Tyler Robinson, sources say
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The suspect arrested and accused of killing Charlie Kirk has been identified as Tyler Robinson, five senior law enforcement officials briefed on the matter told NBC News.
Charlie Kirk shooting suspect identified as Tyler Robinson
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Robinson, 22, is from Utah.
4h ago / 7:35 PM GMT+7
Trump says Kirk’s wife is ‘devastated’ by her husband’s death
Trump said in the interview on “Fox and Friends” that Kirk’s wife is “devastated” by her husband’s death.
“I spoke to his wife yesterday. She’s like, devastated, but in between the devastation, they want to keep Turning Point going,” Trump said, referring to Kirk’s nonprofit organization.
Trump said that he didn’t watch the graphic video that circulated on social media showing the moment that Kirk was shot.
“I didn’t watch. I didn’t want to watch. I heard about it,” he said. “I would have never made a good doctor. Let me put it that way … No, I mean … I heard enough.”
4h ago / 7:32 PM GMT+7
Suspect in Kirk shooting has been arrested: Sources
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Police have taken into custody the man they believe is responsible for shooting and killing Charlie Kirk at a Utah university speaking engagement on Wednesday.
A family member saw the photos of the suspect and turned him into police, two senior law enforcement officials say.
The suspect is in his early 20s and is from Utah.
4h ago / 7:16 PM GMT+7
Numerous vigils planned across the country in honor of Kirk
At least four vigils have already been planned for this evening to honor Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead during a speaking engagement at a Utah university Wednesday.
The scheduled vigils are as follows:
Candlelight vigil in Provo, Utah’s Kiwanis Park at 7:30 p.m. local time.
Bonita Springs, Florida, at 7 p.m. local time.
West Palm Beach, Florida, at 7 p.m. local time.
Jersey City, New Jersey, at 7 p.m. local time.
Other vigils for this evening are expected to be planned.
4h ago / 7:10 PM GMT+7
Trump announces about Kirk suspect: ‘I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him — in custody’
Trump announced in an interview on Fox News this morning that law enforcement have the suspect in the Kirk shooting in custody.
“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him — in custody … everyone did a great job we worked with the local police, the governor, everybody did a great job,” he said.
Special Report: Trump says suspect in Kirk shooting is in custody
03:30
“I hope that he was going to be found guilty, I would imagine, and I hope he gets the death penalty. What he did, Charlie Kirk, was the finest person but he didn’t deserve this. He worked so hard and so well. Everybody liked him. I’ve been watching even the left is having a hard time.”
“Essentially, somebody that was very close to him turned him in,” Trump said.
Trump also added some doubt to his statement, saying: “I’m always subject to be corrected … I’m just giving you based on what I’m hearing.”
The person has not been named and law enforcement officials have yet to formally announce any arrest.
4h ago / 7:03 PM GMT+7
Next news conference at 9 a.m. ET
State and federal officials are hosting a news conference at 9 a.m. ET to discuss the ongoing manhunt for the suspect they believe shot and killed Charlie Kirk.
Expected speakers are: Gov. Spencer J. Cox; FBI Director Kash Patel; Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety; and FBI special agent in charge Robert Bohls.
4h ago / 6:55 PM GMT+7
Utah man arrested, charged after sneaking onto, taking pictures of Kirk crime scene
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Local police arrested a Utah man who snuck into the crime scene at Utah Valley University yesterday to take pictures of and film the area, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The man, Russel Kennington of Pleasant Grove, was charged with criminal trespass and obstruction of justice in the first degree.
According to the probable cause affidavit, a man in a lab coat was seen inside the crime scene, which was secured and roped off with indicators that no one should cross. The man had crossed the crime scene tape anyway and was using his phone to take photos and videos of the evidence at the scene.
After attempting to flee police, the man identified himself and was detained in handcuffs, the affidavit said. He told police he was there because he was “reminiscing” and wanted to document the scene.
He admitted he knew he was not supposed to cross the yellow crime scene tape but did so anyway in order to capture photos of himself and of the crime scene.
5h ago / 5:43 PM GMT+7
McCarthy reflects on Kirk’s death and his relationship with the late conservative activist
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reflected on the death of Charlie Kirk and his relationship with the late conservative activist and described him as a keen debater and talented activist.
06:18
6h ago / 5:22 PM GMT+7
Kirk was spreading his conservative message in Asia days before he was killed
Reporting from HONG KONG
Less than a week before he was killed, Kirk was in Asia spreading his conservative and anti-immigration message, making stops in South Korea and Japan, where he urged people to have more children and embrace religion.
“Their country is totally under attack,” he said of South Korea on his podcast this week after returning from his trip. “The same things that we have been fighting for here, whether it be lawfare in South Korea or mass migration in Japan — this is a worldwide phenomenon.”
There is a receptive audience for messages such as Kirk’s in South Korea and Japan, both East Asian democracies and U.S. allies with highly monoethnic populations, falling birth rates and growing far-right movements.
Read the full article here
6h ago / 4:48 PM GMT+7
‘Really scary’: Orem residents describe police presence after Kirk shooting
Residents of Orem, Utah, describe the police presence in their town after the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an event at a nearby college campus. Authorities say the gunman fled the scene into a neighborhood, where a bolt-action rifle was found in a wooded area.
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7h ago / 4:20 PM GMT+7
Universities hosting Kirk expected crowds and protesters. At Utah Valley, a shooter arrived.
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For years, Charlie Kirk’s appearances at college campuses were major events — drawing thousands of students and attracting protesters, often staged to maximize his interaction with the crowds of young conservatives he inspired.
And each event came with unique security risks, which campuses around the country handled case by case, according to interviews with Kirk’s former security chief and organizers at several colleges who spoke to NBC News.
Kirk’s assassination Wednesday is raising questions about whether more should have been done at Utah Valley University, in Orem, where roughly 3,000 people came to hear the conservative activist speak.
Read the full story here
7h ago / 3:47 PM GMT+7
Video appears to show a person running across a roof after Kirk shooting
Video taken moments after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at an event in Utah appears to show a figure running across a rooftop opposite to where the conservative activist was sitting.
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8h ago / 3:14 PM GMT+7
Virginia Tech says its Turning Point USA event hasn’t yet been canceled
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Charlie Kirk was killed on the first day of a speaking tour across university campuses, dubbed The American Comeback. At least one of the colleges on the tour, Virginia Tech, says it has not yet canceled the event in light of Wednesday’s shooting.
College spokesperson Mark Owczarski told NBC News last night that the scheduled Turning Point event there Sept. 24 could still take place.
“The university’s focus has been directed on caring for those students who have been affected or impacted by those events. When the time is right, we’ll work with students to help them figure out what they may wish to do next. Their immediate needs come first, the logistics of a future event will follow,” he said in a statement.
Kirk planned to host a “prove me wrong table” format event at Virginia Tech where he would take questions from the crowd, just as he did in Utah on Wednesday when he was fatally shot.
The other colleges scheduled to host events on the tour have not yet responded to requests for comment.
9h ago / 2:26 PM GMT+7
Video: Vance arrives in Arizona with Kirk’s casket
Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance accompanied Charlie Kirk’s family to Phoenix with Kirk’s casket aboard Air Force Two. Kirk’s casket was transported to a mortuary.
Vance was a close friend of Kirk’s and credits him with playing a key role in his own political career and the electoral success of Trump.
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9h ago / 2:26 PM GMT+7
Why Kirk assassination videos are still spreading online
Graphic videos of Kirk’s assassination continued to spread across social media platforms today, with many companies choosing to put the footage behind content warnings rather than taking it down entirely.
On YouTube and Meta, videos that showed the moment Kirk was hit by the bullet required users to acknowledge that they were willing to see sensitive content.
On other platforms, including X and TikTok, many of the videos remained easily accessible without any warning.
The spread of videos depicting violent incidents, like shootings, has been a perennial issue for social media platforms, complicated in recent years by a shift away from aggressive, human-based moderation. Most companies still have policies either banning or limiting the spread of gory videos.
Read the full story here.
9h ago / 2:26 PM GMT+7
Assassination tests Trump’s ability to help a nation heal
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Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, President Donald Trump may be uniquely positioned to tamp down the anger that suffuses American politics and lead a movement to bind up a bitterly divided country if he chooses.
But, political strategists and officials from both parties told NBC News, that’s not the path Trump appears to be taking.
Trump has been both a target of assassination attempts and a fount of vitriolic rhetoric. He knows firsthand the passions that drive American voters and, were he to renounce partisan attacks and call on others in both parties to do the same, that gesture could potentially send a healing message.
With the killer still at large and a manhunt underway, Trump, in his video response, laid blame on familiar foils. In a message from the Oval Office Wednesday, he singled out the “radical left” and made no mention of cases in which Democratic elected officials in Minnesota and Pennsylvania were targets of violent attacks.
Read the full story here.
