Police mugshot of Tyler Robinson (Image: Office of the Governor of Utah)
The FBI is investigating whether Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspected of assassinating right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, had an accomplice, as new doorbell camera footage raises questions about the Utah Valley University shooting. The footage, obtained from a family near the campus, allegedly shows a man—believed to be Mr Robinson—walking past their home minutes after the attack, discussing the shooting on a mobile phone.
Authorities, initially convinced Robinson acted alone, are now probing whether others assisted or knew of the plot but remained silent, reports The Sun. Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed Mr Robinson’s arrest on Thursday night after a family friend, alerted by Mr Robinson’s father, turned him in following his confession. The investigation, backed by over 11,000 leads, has intensified as detectives analyse the footage and other evidence for potential co-conspirators.
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Mr Kirk, 31, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot in the neck by a sniper at 12.10pm on Wednesday while debating students at Utah Valley University’s Fountain Courtyard.
Mr Robinson, who travelled 240 miles from Washington, Utah, in a grey Dodge Challenger, arrived on campus at 11.52am, taking a rooftop position before firing, according to CCTV evidence.
The Mauser .30-06 rifle used was found dumped behind a nearby house, wrapped in a towel, with oil spills suggesting a vehicle had fled the scene.
Three unfired bullet casings bore engraved slogans, including “Hey, fascist! Catch!” and references to gaming culture, hinting at Robinson’s motives. His Discord messages, shared by his roommate, detailed retrieving the rifle from a “drop point” and changing clothes post-attack, further implicating him.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference, as FBI Director Kash Patel looks on (Image: AP)
Mr Robinson, a former Utah State University student in 2021, had grown “more political” recently, Mr Cox said, citing a family dinner where he expressed disdain for Mr Kirk’s views, calling him “full of hate.”
His father recognised him from FBI-released photos, confronted him, and, with a youth minister doubling as a US Marshals task force officer, coordinated his surrender.
Mr Robinson, who initially threatened suicide, was detained at 10 pm.
Thursday and is held without bail in Utah County Jail on charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Formal charges are expected on Tuesday.
Charlie Kirk was shot dead earlier this week (Image: AP)
President Donald Trump announced the arrest on Friday, stating: “I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him,” and later awarded Kirk the Medal of Freedom posthumously.
FBI Director Kash Patel, calling Mr Kirk a friend, vowed to pursue justice, saying: “Rest now, brother. We have the watch.”
Mr Kirk’s widow, Erika, expressed devastation but vowed to continue his conservative youth movement.
The shooting, labelled a “political assassination” by Cox, has reignited debates over political violence, with Mr Trump blaming “radical left” rhetoric.
Erika Kirk – Charlie Kirk’s wife Erika breaks silence slamming ‘evil world’ in live broadcast (Image: AP)
While the FBI initially believed Mr Robinson acted alone, the doorbell footage has shifted focus to possible accomplices.
Detectives are examining whether the man in the video, described as wearing a dark shirt and sunglasses, matches Mr Robinson’s profile, and if his phone conversation implicates others.
Social media posts from Mr Robinson’s mother portray him as an ordinary young man from a Republican-leaning family with no prior criminal record, deepening the mystery of his radicalisation.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are bracing for further revelations in a case which has shaken America’s political landscape.