(LifeSiteNews) – The man suspected of murdering conservative influencer Charlie Kirk is now in custody, and has been identified as 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson.
Kirk, the head of campus outreach group Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. The shooter initially escaped, but after detaining, interviewing, and releasing two individuals who turned out not to be involved, authorities released security camera footage of another “person of interest.”
BREAKING: Mugshot of Charlie Kirk suspected assassin Tyler Robinson released pic.twitter.com/QZ0fN9N348
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 12, 2025
On Friday morning, President Donald Trump announced on “Fox & Friends” that “I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody, in custody,” adding, “Everyone did a great job, worked with local police, governor, everybody did a great job.”
“I think that I don’t want to go too far, like to tell you stories how it happened, essentially somebody very close to him turned him in and that happens when you have good shots, somebody will say whether a parent or whatever, I would rather not say right now,” he added. “They will announce it later today, probably talk about that.”
Shortly after the president’s announcement, multiple media outlets, including the New York Post, the Associated Press, CNN, the New York Times, and Mediaite reported that the suspect has been apprehended and identified as Robinson.
According to Mediaite, Robinson “became a prime suspect following identification through facial recognition investigative methods. He then confessed to his father and items seen in the surveillance video from the shooting were also found on him.”
A motive is not yet known, but several outlets reported based on a leaked memo that ammunition the killer left behind was inscribed with messages relating to “transgender and anti-fascist ideology.” Authorities have not officially confirmed that detail. Utah’s Republican Gov. Spencer Cox cautioned that “there is a tremendous amount of disinformation we are tracking. Our state team and I’m sure the federal team as well.”
An official law enforcement update is expected at a press conference this morning.
The White House sent Vice President JD Vance and his family to comfort Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City, and allowed the use of Air Force Two to transport his casket. President Donald Trump has also announced he will posthumously award the conservative activist with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors.
