Utah Governor Spencer Cox on Friday identified the suspect believed to have killed American conservative commentator Charlie Kirk as Utah native Tyler Robinson.
“We have him in custody,” Cox announced at a press conference following a manhunt that lasted more than 24 hours.
According to Cox, Robinson’s arrest came after a family member contacted a family friend, who then alerted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed or implied involvement in the shooting. Authorities currently believe Robinson acted alone.
Investigators were told that Robinson had become “more political in recent years.” Cox added that a family member recalled a recent dinner where Robinson spoke critically of Kirk, saying he viewed him as “hateful and spreading hate,” particularly after learning that Kirk was scheduled to appear at Utah Valley University (UVU).
U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier that Robinson’s father played a key role in helping authorities track down his son.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Robinson was taken into custody at 10 p.m. local time (0400 GMT).
Security camera footage from UVU, where the shooting occurred on Wednesday, appeared to show Robinson arriving on campus earlier that day. He was seen wearing a maroon T-shirt, light-colored shorts, a black hat, and light-colored shoes—clothing that matched what he was wearing when arrested.
