‘We got him,’: Gov. Cox announces capture of suspected shooter in Charlie Kirk’s killing
Sep 11, 2025, 6:08 AM | Updated: Sep 12, 2025, 6:45 pm
Breaking update: The alleged shooter who shot and killed political activist Charlie Kirk was taken into custody.
Gov. Spencer Cox announced the capture of the person of interest on Friday during a news conference saying, “Good morning ladies and gentlemen… we got him.”
Cox named the person of interest as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. He was booked into the Utah County Jail.
Dixie Technical College confirmed Friday that Robinson is a third-year student at the college.
Watch: Local, federal investigators provide latest update on Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting
On Friday morning, President Donald Trump said that “with a high degree of certainty,” the suspected shooter in Charlie Kirk’s killing was caught, according to the Associated Press. FBI Director Kash Patel said Robinson was taken into custody at approximately 10 p.m. Thursday.
Mug shots of Tyler Robinson. (Utah Governor’s Office)
Cox said that investigators located a Mauser Model 98, .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle with a scope mounted on top, wrapped in a dark-colored towel near the edge of Utah Valley University’s campus, alongside three unfired bullets.
On Friday, Cox disclosed the messages inscribed on four bullet casings: One fired, three unfired.
On the fired bullet casing that was retrieved from the shooting, Cox said it read, “notices bulges OWO what’s this.”
The three unfired bullets found with the rifle read: “Hey fascist! Catch! ^>,” followed by three downward-pointing arrows, “O bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao ciao,” and lastly, “If you read this you are GAY lmao.”
Cox said one of Robinson’s family members reached out to a family friend, who then contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson confessed or implied that he committed the shooting.
A family member reportedly said Robinson had become “more political in recent years,” and discussed Charlie Kirk’s Utah tour. They reportedly discussed that Robinson did not like Kirk.
Investigators also interviewed Robinson’s roommate, Cox said, who told investigators about messages from an account linked to Robinson on Discord that discussed retrieving a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush, and visually watching an area where the rifle was left wrapped in a towel. The messages also referenced the bullet inscriptions and changing outfits.
Cox said additional footage at UVU showed Robinson arriving to campus at approximately 8:29 a.m. Wednesday in a gray Dodge Challenger, which matches Robinson’s vehicle.
Cox thanked both local and federal law enforcement and investigators for their work, the public for their engagement and tips, and Robinson’s family for coming forward.
FBI Director Kash Patel said at the press conference Friday, “In 33 hours, we have made historic progress for Charlie.”
“This is a very sad day, again, for our country,” Cox said in the press conference Friday. “A terrible day for the state of Utah. But, I’m grateful that at this moment, we have an opportunity to bring closure to this very dark chapter in our nation’s history.”
Cox expressed thanks to Kirk’s family and said investigators would be working closely with them.
Patel said that as of Friday morning, the FBI had “over 11,000 leads” provided by the public to investigate, and stated that the FBI would work to ensure “every one of those leads will be run out.”
Timeline: Investigators discover how suspect arrived, fled scene
A police booking affidavit of probable cause stated that a suspect was visible on the roof of the University’s Losee Center at the time of the shooting.
Using footage from the university, investigators were able to determine the suspects’ whereabouts immediately before and after Kirk was shot.
Police said at approximately 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, the suspect is seen walking across a grassy area north of Campus Drive, then move south through the parking lot before approaching a pedestrian tunnel that runs underneath Campus Drive. Then, the suspect began making his way toward the Losee Center.
At approximately 12:02 p.m., the suspect is seen on surveillance footage walking on the north side of the Losee Center before walking up the stairs leading to a common area, then climbing a short concrete wall that separates the common area from the rooftop.
At approximately 12:22 p.m., footage showed the suspect stand on the roof and “started running across the rooftop.” Then, the suspect is seen laying down “in a position consistent with a prone shooting position near the edge of the rooftop and appeared to be facing west, in the direction of the courtyard area.”
At approximately 12:23, Kirk was shot, and the victim was seen standing up from the edge of the rooftop and sprinting to the northeast corner of the building, where he dropped off the roof.
Then, the suspect is seen running north near the parking lot. At approximately 12:24, investigators said the suspect ran north across Campus Drive and appeared to be carrying an item.
Investigators noted the suspect was walking with a “distinctive gait,” seemingly with a limp, before the shooting took place. His gait was reportedly inconsistent immediately before and after the shooting took place.
This is an ongoing investigation.
This is an ongoing investigation.
Our initial coverage: FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Daniel Bongino were both present at a press release Thursday night, however, neither of them addressed the media.
Utah Valley University said Charlie Kirk’s team chose the location of the event.
UVU spokeswoman Ellen Treanor said Turning Point USA wanted to hold the event in a central location where students could stop by and engage with him.
UVU had eight officers there, with six in uniform and two in plain clothes, Treanor said.
A police officer from Utah State University was also there to observe because Kirk was scheduled to speak there later this month.
Last year, the University of Utah’s Turning Point USA chapter hosted Kirk, posting photos showing him in a similar setup, with fewer in attendance than at UVU.
Kirk spoke at UVU in 2019, an even that was peaceful.
The UVU Review student newspaper reported protesters showed up but there were no altercations.
Our initial coverage:
SALT LAKE CITY — After Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday, authorities detained two separate people before releasing them both.
The first person was detained at the scene and released when officials confirmed he did not match the shooter’s description, according to Utah Valley University, where the shooting occurred.
The second person was arrested later in the day, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. However, approximately two hours after the arrest, he updated the public, saying the second person was also released after an interrogation.
As of early Thursday, authorities had identified photos of another person of interest, and later shared photos of him:
Soon after releasing photos, the FBI said it would offer a $100,000 reward to anyone who could provide information that leads to the identification and arrest of the “individual(s)” responsible for Wednesday’s shooting.
DPS Commissioner Beau Mason said in a press conference early Thursday that officials tracked the movement of the shooter, who arrived on campus at 11:52 a.m. on Wednesday. He maneuvered through the stairwells and up to the roof where he fired the single shot. Very few security measures were reported by witnesses and students at the event.
Mason said the shooter then jumped off the building and fled into a nearby neighborhood.
How evidence may help investigators find a person of interest
Former FBI Agent Greg Rogers spoke with Utah’s Morning News Thursday on how current FBI agents may be using evidence to find a person of interest in relation to Kirk’s death.
A graphic depicting where Charlie Kirk was and where his killer was at the time of the shooting at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025. (Source, Phil Holm, Utah Valley University, Associated Press)
“Our investigators have worked through those neighborhoods, contacting anyone with doorbell cameras, witnesses and thoroughly worked through those communities trying to identify any leads,” Mason said. “We do have good video footage of this individual, we are not going to release that at this time.”
Further, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said authorities believe they recovered the weapon used in the shooting — a high-powered bolt-action rifle, he said, which was recovered in a “wooded area” where the shooter fled.
Later on Thursday, DPS said there were reportedly photos of a weapon and “various details about that firearm and ammunition, including inscriptions and symbols.”
“At this time, we are not able to provide further details on the content of those inscriptions,” DPS wrote, in a press release. “Additionally, we are not able to confirm individual photos’ authenticity, as those photos were not released by law enforcement. We are not confirming further details at this time.”
Investigators also collected footwear impressions, a palm print, and forearm impressions from the shooter and worked to analyze them, he said.
The FBI created a tip line for anyone with information or video to share with law enforcement in the hopes that it would lead to a suspect. Bohls pushed the importance of the tip line and asked the public to either submit video or photos there or call 1-800-FBI.
NBC confirmed Thursday morning that JD Vance would be cancelling his plans to visit New York for the remembrance of 9/11 to travel to Utah instead. Charlie Kirk’s casket is expected to be flown from Utah to Arizona aboard Air Force Two Thursday, according to an Associated Press source.
Set backs to the investigation
In an update from Thursday afternoon FBI said a third person has been arrested during the investigation, but this time not as a suspect in the shooting.
At approximately 11:00 a.m. on Thursday a man entered UVU campus and walked past police and crime tape to take photos of the crime scene. When an agent attempted to stop him he fled on foot. He was shortly apprehended and booked into the Utah County Jail.
“A male entered the UVU school grounds and approached the shooting scene. Ignoring police crime scene tape, he entered the secured area and began taking photos of the scene and law enforcement officers. When an agent ordered him to stop and attempted to identify him, the male fled on foot but was soon apprehended by other officers,” the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement.
The man has been arrested for obstruction of justice and trespassing and officers don’t believe he has any connection with the shooting.
“(He) explained he was in the crime scene taking photos and videos of the crime scene where a high profile political person was shot and he was reminiscing and filming the scene,” said the affidavit.
The affidavit also added that he tried to avoid police contact so as not to “disturb” officers.
The FBI also stated that any drone seen in the area will be cited. And any drones with crime scene footage on them will be confiscated.
The statement also states the FBI cannot confirm individual photos’ authenticity outside of the two screenshots from campus security footage released by officials.
So far, the FBI has received over 200 tips and agents say no tip is too small. But there as been some confusion over the digital media tip line.
If you want to leave a tip you can go to www.fbi.gov/utahvalleyshooting or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
