Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk, told his father he would rather kill himself than surrender, according to a report quoting law enforcement officials.
Robinson was charged with aggravated murder and taken into custody Thursday evening after his father recognized him in photos of the suspected shooter released by investigators earlier in the day.
When confronted, Robinson admitted to the shooting but initially refused to surrender. Investigators said he told his father he preferred to kill himself.
Charlie Kirk’s assassin Tyler Robinson, 22, killed him because he hated his opinions and thought he was a fascist. Yet ironically, HE was the fascist, killing someone to silence their opposing views.
The woke left love to say ‘speech is violent.’
It’s not – violence is. pic.twitter.com/70CWowT465— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 12, 2025
Father and Youth Minister Persuaded Him to Surrender
Robinson’s father convinced him to speak with their youth minister, who also works with the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force. The minister then contacted a deputy, and the FBI took Robinson into custody.
“I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing in this case and were able to bring him into law enforcement,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Friday.
Motive and Messages
Investigators said Robinson, a former student at Utah Valley University, expressed anger toward Charlie Kirk in the days before the shooting, calling him “full of hate.” Authorities believe Robinson acted alone.
During their search, officials interviewed Robinson’s roommate and discovered messages on Discord where Robinson instructed the roommate to retrieve a rifle wrapped in a towel and left in a wooded area near campus. In another message, he said he had changed clothes after the gunfire.
Surveillance Footage and Timeline
Surveillance video showed Robinson arriving at the university in a Dodge Challenger around 8:29 a.m. on the day of the shooting. He was wearing a maroon T-shirt, light shorts, a black hat with a white logo, and light-colored shoes.
Two days later, investigators interviewed him and noted he was still wearing clothing matching the footage.
How Tyler Robinson Was Caught
According to the Associated Press, Robinson’s father identified him from FBI images and later sought help from a youth pastor. Together, they persuaded Robinson to surrender at a police station in St. George, Utah.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Robinson was apprehended 33 hours after the shooting, following a massive public outreach campaign that generated more than 11,000 leads.
“The arrest is a testament to the dedication of good law enforcement and the strength of our partnerships,” Patel said Friday.
Family Concerns
Family members told investigators that Robinson had grown increasingly political in recent years. During a dinner shortly before the shooting, he reportedly mentioned Kirk’s scheduled appearance at Utah Valley University, saying he believed Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate.”
