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Tyler Robinson, 22, a Utah native identified as the suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, had been residing with his parents “for a long time,” according to authorities.
Mr. Robinson was apprehended on September 12 after a family member identified him in surveillance footage, a development that investigators hailed as crucial in concluding a nationwide search.
Reportedly, Mr. Robinson’s father recognized him and urged him to surrender, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, citing law enforcement sources. The father subsequently contacted a family friend who alerted the sheriff’s office.
During a Friday press briefing announcing the arrest, FBI officials refrained from discussing Mr. Robinson’s background, political affiliations, or potential motive, citing the ongoing investigation.
“We are confident that we have the correct individual in custody,” stated an FBI spokesperson, “but we are still working to establish the full picture of who he is and why he acted.”
Utah Governor Spencer Cox disclosed that a family member interviewed by investigators indicated that Mr. Robinson had become “more political” in recent years.
The relative also revealed that during a dinner conversation preceding the attack, Mr. Robinson had asserted that Kirk “was full of hate and spreading hate” and alluded to Kirk’s forthcoming event at Utah Valley University, according to Cox.
“They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had,” Cox said, referencing the conversation.
Public records reviewed by the BBC indicate that Mr. Robinson had previously registered as an unaffiliated, or nonpartisan, voter in Utah. Matthew Carl Robinson, the suspect’s father, and Amber Denise Robinson, the suspect’s mother, are registered Republicans, according to state records.
Mr. Robinson was not a student at UVU, the site of the shooting.
Records examined by BBC Verify suggest he attended Utah State University in Logan for a single semester in 2021, potentially studying engineering. A photograph from that year depicts him standing in front of the university’s sign holding an acceptance letter.
Investigators suggest Mr. Robinson was immersed in online culture, pointing to inscriptions on shell casings connected to the case.
Two casings displayed apparent references to online trolling humor. The inscription “notices bulges OwO what’s this?” on a fired shell casing may allude to a “copypasta” – a piece of text that is repeatedly disseminated, often to troll individuals online. Another casing, which was unfired, was inscribed with the words “If you read this, you are gay lmao” – again, an apparent reference to a trolling joke.
Meanwhile, other casings could be interpreted as sympathetic to Antifa, or the anti-fascist movement, a loose collective of far-left activists who have been active in the US over the last decade and often demonstrate against Trump policies and far-right groups.
One unfired casing bore the words “Hey fascist! Catch!” and an up, right, and three down arrows.
The three down arrows alone could be a common symbol used for anti-fascism. As a whole, the sequence of arrows could reference a cheat code in a video game – although this remains unclear, and authorities have not yet released images of the casings.
A second casing was inscribed with lyrics to the song “Bella Ciao,” which honors World War II-era partisans of the Italian resistance who fought Nazi Germany.
Authorities indicated that Mr. Robinson also appeared to have been active on Discord, the social media platform primarily used by gamers, but now also popular with other communities.
His roommate reportedly presented investigators with a series of messages on Discord from a contact named “Tyler” referencing a rifle “drop point” and instructions regarding retrieving and concealing the weapon.
For now, Mr. Robinson remains in custody as prosecutors prepare formal charges.
The investigation into his background, motives, and potential affiliations continues in what officials are terming one of the most significant political killings in recent US history.
Kirk’s loyalty towards the first family put him at the very centre of Donald Trump’s Maga movement.
The deployment of the National Guard to Memphis comes roughly a month after he sent troops to Washington DC.
“We got him,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said after authorities apprehended Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspected of killing the conservative activist.
The governor said a family member told investigators that the suspect had become “more political” in recent years.
President Trump says “I think we’ve got him”.
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