The man initially suspected in the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been arrested on obstruction of justice and child pornography charges, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
George Zinn, 71, was briefly detained on September 10th following Kirk’s shooting at Utah Valley State University in Orem. Witnesses and police reported that Zinn approached officers in a disoriented manner, staggering toward them with his pants partially down while shouting variations of, “I shot him!” and “Shoot me! I did it!”
During questioning, Zinn allegedly confessed that his claim was deliberately false. According to investigators, he described it as a “gift” meant to distract law enforcement and give the actual shooter time to flee. Authorities quickly determined that Zinn had no involvement in the shooting itself and initially released him.
However, a forensic search of his phone uncovered illicit material. On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Zinn with four counts of possession of child pornography. He was also charged with obstruction of justice for his deliberate attempt to mislead investigators in the moments following the killing. Zinn is now being held at Utah County Jail in Provo, where a judge will soon decide whether he will be granted bail.
Zinn’s presence at the campus has drawn scrutiny, given his background and past appearances in high-profile moments of U.S. history. He is known locally as a staunch pro-Israel activist and previously surfaced in video footage from New York City on September 11, 2001, identifying himself as an “early witness” to the World Trade Center attacks. In one interview at the time, he attributed the strikes to al-Qaeda before official confirmation of the group’s involvement had been made public.
These details, combined with his bizarre behavior after Kirk’s murder, have fueled conspiracy theories online, with some commentators speculating about larger motives behind his actions. The rumors grew to such an extent that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed them directly in a Fox News interview, strongly denying any Israeli connection to Kirk’s death.