The man who allegedly killed Charlie Kirk engraved the bullets he used in front of his trans partner at the home they shared, according to police.
Tyler Robinson, 22, confessed to his live-in partner Lance Twiggs, 22, after shooting the conservative commentator dead at Utah Valley University last week, officials said on Tuesday.
In text messages between the couple after Kirk’s assassination, Robinson allegedly wrote: ‘Remember how I was engraving bullets?’
‘The f***** messages are mostly a big meme, if I see “notices bulges” on Fox News I might have a stroke.’
Twiggs apparently never went to law enforcement after receiving the texts. Robinson remained on the run for more than a day until his parents recognized him in a photo released by authorities.
However police have emphasized Twiggs is not accused of any wrongdoing and has been fully cooperative with detectives.
Officials did not say whether Robinson had told Twiggs about his dislike for Kirk and his political views.
They revealed they are looking at whether others knew about Robinson’s plans or helped. But have not said if his partner is among those being investigated and have expressed appreciation for Twiggs sharing information.
Robinson had been in a relationship with his transgender roommate, Lance Twiggs
Tyler Robinson, 22, joked with his friends that he resembled the man wanted by police for the assassination of Charlie Kirk
The 31-year-old conservative activist was debating with students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when he was shot in the neck
In their text exchange, Twiggs appeared shocked after Robinson confessed, and asked him why he had done it.
Robinson allegedly replied that he had ‘had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred’ and that ‘some hate can’t be negotiated out.’
The alleged killer and Twiggs had reportedly been living together for at least a year.
Robinson allegedly told Twiggs that he had been planning the killing for about a week.
‘Delete this exchange,’ the alleged killer then told the roommate, according to authorities.
‘Don’t talk to the media please or make any comments, if any police asks questions just ask for a lawyer and stay silent,’ Robinson allegedly instructed Twiggs.
Officials also charged Robinson with obstruction of justice and witness tampering, citing the messages.
Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned hard left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights, Gray said.
Robinson is also alleged to have referenced engraving bullets, investigators said they uncovered unspent rounds with anti-fascist and pro-trans ideologies inscribed on them
She recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.
The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy. That person was able to get Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.
Prosecutors said the series of incriminating messages, a hidden note and DNA evidence connects Robinson to the killing of Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and confidant of President Donald Trump.
Investigators say that sometime after Robinson fired a single fatal shot from the rooftop of a campus building overlooking where Kirk was speaking to about 3,000 people on September 10, he texted his partner and said to look under a keyboard.
There was a note, ‘I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,’ according to court documents.
After expressing shock, his partner who lived with Robinson in southwestern Utah, asked Robinson if he was the shooter. Robinson responded, ‘I am, I’m sorry.’
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said DNA on the trigger of the rifle used to kill Kirk on the campus in Orem, south of Salt Lake City, matched Robinson.
Authorities released this image last week as they ramped up the search for the suspect, with Robinson’s parents seeing it and believing it was their son
Gray declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.
‘That is for a jury to decide,’ Gray said.
