The man who allegedly killed Charlie Kirk previously shared his hatred for the influencer and had engraved bullet casings with troubling messages that appear to reveal his political motives for the shooting, Utah’s governor has revealed.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was turned in by his own father and arrested on Thursday night for the shooting of Kirk at his ‘American Comeback Tour’ event at Utah Valley University.
Kirk was shot in the neck at the event during a debate with a student about mass shootings, with horrifying footage showing him recoil from the impact before he was later pronounced dead.
At a press conference on Friday morning, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said that investigators learned from Robinson’s family that he had become more political in recent times, and had recently expressed his dislike for Kirk, describing him to his family as ‘full of hate.’
He also said that bullet casings loaded into the rifle were engraved with a series of phrases, many of which appeared to reference internet memes and anti-fascist messages.
Cox said that casings from the weapon used to kill Kirk were found to have several anti-fascist messages engraved on them, including one referencing the WW2 Italian anti-fascist song Bella Ciao.
‘Oh, Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao Ciao Ciao,’ the bullet read.
Another appeared to reference the popular video game Helldivers 2, and read: ‘Hey Fascists, Catch!’
Next to the phrase on the bullet was an up arrow symbol, right arrow symbol and three down arrow symbols – referencing a stratagem code used in the game to strike opponents with ‘The Eagle 500kg bomb.’
The suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination has been identified as Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident
Kirk was in the middle of a debate on mass shootings with a student when he was shot in the neck at the Utah Valley University on Wednesday
Robinson seen in his mugshot
Another of the bullets read: ‘*Notices bulge* OwO what’s this?’
The bullet’s inscription referenced a meme, originating from around 2013, parodying furries and online roleplaying subcultures, and is typically used as a method of trolling.
A third read ‘If You Read This You Are Gay LMAO’, Cox said.
The governor added that Robinson’s roommate helped investigators by showing messages on Discord where the alleged killer talked about retrieving a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush, and references to engraved bullets and a scope.
In one image from Robinson’s mother’s social media from 2017, he was seen wearing a Donald Trump costume to Halloween.
Other images also show Robinson using guns in his childhood, including one where he was posing with an M2 Browning 50. caliber machine gun.
Trump announced the arrest in an appearance on Fox News, where he said that ‘someone very close’ to the suspect turned him in.
Robinson’s arrest comes after a manhunt for the suspect stretched to over a day and a half, with officials previously offering a reward of $100,000 for information leading to his capture.
Officials released images of the person of interest who was sought in the manhunt, seen wearing a black t-shirt with a bald eagle flying across an American flag
In one image from Robinson’s mother’s social media from 2017, he was seen wearing a Donald Trump costume to Halloween
The sniper’s nest used by the assassin who killed Charlie Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus has been revealed by authorities as they continue an urgent manhunt for the gunman
Surveillance footage had been released showing a figure on top of a roof leaping from a building and sprinting into a nearby neighborhood after Kirk was shot from around 200 yards away.
The conservative commentator was hit by a single bullet while speaking to a crowd at the public university in Orem on Wednesday afternoon.
The father-of-two, known for his fierce MAGA views and thrilling debates with college kids across the country, collapsed immediately after being hit by the gunfire.
The alleged killer was found after multiple suspects were incorrectly apprehended on Tuesday.
Initially, a ‘person of interest’ was said to be in custody in connection with Kirk’s shooting, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced Wednesday evening.
However, they were later released, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed.
‘The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement,’ Patel said in a statement. ‘Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency.’
Kirk was answering a question about mass shootings mere seconds before he was struck. He was rushed to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika Frantzve, with whom he had a three-year-old daughter and a son, 16 months. The couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May
Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika Frantzve, with whom he had a three-year-old daughter and a son, 16 months. The couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May.
President Donald Trump led the tributes for the late political commentator. ‘The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.
‘He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!’
The President ordered all American flags to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening at 6pm EST in honor of Kirk.
