The Suspect
Tyler James Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah native, was living with his family in Washington County at the time of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The oldest of three brothers, Robinson grew up in a household where his mother worked as a licensed social worker for a nonprofit healthcare company, and his father ran a business installing kitchen countertops and cabinets. Family social media posts depicted a doting mother who frequently documented family vacations to Alaska, the Caribbean, and Disneyland, celebrating her sons’ academic achievements and extracurricular activities. These posts, which were largely deleted after Robinson’s arrest, showed no overt political leanings, instead focusing on typical family milestones and pride in her children’s accomplishments. Robinson was raised in a Mormon household actively involved in their local church community, with neighbors describing the parents as supportive and community-oriented.
Academic History
Robinson graduated from Pine View High School in St. George, Utah, in 2021, where he demonstrated exceptional academic ability. He achieved an ACT score of 34, placing him in the top 1% of test-takers nationally, and earned a resident presidential scholarship to Utah State University valued at approximately $32,000 over four years. His mother proudly shared videos of him reading the scholarship letter on social media. Robinson attended Utah State University for only one semester in fall 2021 as a pre-engineering major before taking a leave of absence for undisclosed reasons. At the time of the shooting, he was a third-year student in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College while concurrently earning credits through Utah Tech University.
Alleged Motivations
According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Robinson had "become more political in recent years". A family member told investigators that during a recent dinner conversation, Robinson mentioned Kirk’s upcoming appearance at Utah Valley University and expressed strong disapproval of Kirk’s viewpoints, describing him as "full of hate and spreading hate". Despite this political awakening, Robinson was registered as an unaffiliated voter with inactive status, meaning he had not voted in the past two general elections, including the 2024 presidential election. His parents, however, were registered Republicans who voted for Donald Trump in 2024.
Evidence and Alleged Planning
Investigators recovered a bolt-action Mauser rifle wrapped in a towel from woods near the campus, which they believe was used in the shooting. The weapon was consistent with messages Robinson allegedly sent on Discord about retrieving a rifle from a "drop point," leaving it wrapped in a towel in a bush, and engraving bullets. Unfired cartridges found with the weapon contained inscriptions including "Hey fascist! Catch!" and lyrics from the Italian anti-fascist song "Bella Ciao". Other engravings referenced internet memes and gaming culture, such as "If you read this, you are gay LMAO" and arrow patterns resembling input codes for the video game Helldivers 2. Surveillance footage showed Robinson arriving on campus four hours before the shooting in a gray Dodge Challenger, which family members confirmed he owned.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
Robinson was arrested on September 11, 2025, after a 33-hour manhunt. His arrest came after his father recognized him in FBI-released surveillance images and confronted him. When Robinson expressed suicidal intentions rather than surrendering, his father contacted a youth pastor who served as a family friend, who then notified U.S. Marshals. Robinson was taken into custody peacefully at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. He currently remains held without bail at Utah County Jail on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Formal charges are expected to be filed on September 16, with a virtual court appearance scheduled for the same day. Robinson has since stopped speaking to investigators after securing legal representation.