U.S. investigators have reportedly identified the suspected gunman in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, according to two sources familiar with the probe.
The development comes just a day after President Donald Trump announced that a suspect was in custody.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot Wednesday evening while speaking before a crowd of 3,000 at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Authorities say the attacker, positioned on a rooftop, fired a single round from a high-powered bolt-action rifle, striking Kirk in the neck as he responded to an audience question about gun violence. Panic swept through the hall as the activist collapsed.
The FBI confirmed that the suspect, who had initially not been named, was arrested after turning himself in to police.
According to Trump, a minister alerted a friend in law enforcement, who then contacted a U.S. Marshal. Robinson’s own father is believed to have driven him to a police station.
“This was a heinous act,” Trump told Fox News. “I think with a high degree of certainty we have him in custody. Somebody very close to him turned him in.”
The bureau previously released surveillance images of a man dressed in black, with sunglasses and a baseball cap marked with a bald eagle and U.S. flag motif.
Investigators say the gunman accessed the rooftop minutes before Kirk’s debate, fired the shot, then fled into a nearby neighborhood. A rifle believed to have been used in the attack was later recovered in wooded terrain.
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Authorities described the assailant as “college-aged” and able to blend in easily on campus. Forensic teams have collected palm prints and footprints from the scene, but have not yet confirmed a motive.
Kirk, co-founder and president of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, was in the middle of his “American Comeback Tour,” a 15-stop campaign aimed at rallying young voters.
A polarizing figure in U.S. politics and a staunch supporter of Trump, Kirk was a prominent defender of gun rights — a detail that has fueled intense public debate following his assassination.
In a tribute, Trump said Kirk’s influence would outlast his death: “In many ways, he’s bigger now because of what happened.
It’s a shame that that voice has been stopped.” The president also vowed to posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
As investigators piece together Robinson’s background, questions remain: Was the shooting an isolated act of violence, or part of a broader network? For now, officials are keeping details close, with the FBI confirming only that the investigation is ongoing.