A COP recounted the details of what happened the night that the suspected assassin of Charlie Kirk was taken into custody.
The Washington County officer gave insight into the events that transpired leading up to the arrest of Tyler Robinson.
Washington County sheriff Nate Brooksby spoke about the Charlie Kirk shooting[/caption]
Tyler Robinson, 22, is suspected of shooting the activist[/caption]
Charlie Kirk was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University at the time of his death[/caption]
Robinson, 22, was arrested on September 12, less than two days after political activist Charlie Kirk was murdered at a debate event at Utah Valley University.
Kirk, 31, was hosting the event on behalf of his nonprofit Turning Point USA, which aims to encourage discussion amongst conservatives on college campuses.
Nate Brooksby, a Washington County Sheriff, spoke more about the arrest and Robinson’s motive for surrendering during a news conference.
Brooksby said that a retired detective and friend of Robinson’s through “religious association” was the one who persuaded the suspected assassin to turn himself in to the authorities.
“Tyler’s family trusted this individual,” Brooksby explained.
“They knew he was involved in law enforcement.
“They trusted that they could go to this individual and he could contact me directly and we could facilitate a peaceful, calm, and relaxed surrender.”
The family friend of Robinson’s contacted the sheriff 33 hours after the assassination.
“I can tell his voice is kind of shaky,” Brooksby recalled.
“So my first thought is, ‘who died?’”
That’s when Brooksby’s friend delivered the shocking news.
“He said, ‘Hey, I know who the Charlie Kirk shooter is. I know the family through religious association and he’s in Washington County now and we’re working on trying to get him to come in voluntarily,’” Brooksby said.
The family friend allegedly said that Robinson had suicidal thoughts, but his parents eased his nerves and said they could help him “surrender peacefully.”
Brooksby said he immediately called the Utah County sheriff, Mike Smith, where the shooting occurred, and the manhunt was taking place.
Timeline of Charlie Kirk shooting
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, September 10
Tuesday, September 9
8:29 am MDT – Shooter arrives on the Utah Valley University campus, as seen in surveillance videos.
Wednesday, September 10
11:52 am – The shooter, described as a college-age individual, arrives on campus before maneuvering onto a rooftop.
12:00 pm – Charlie Kirk is scheduled to host a debate in the UVU Fountain Courtyard.
12:10 pm – A shot is fired at Kirk from 200 yards away and hits him in the neck. The event is immediately evacuated and a man is taken into custody.
1:02 pm – President Donald Trump posts a call to pray for Kirk on Truth Social.
1:37 pm – UVU closes campus, cancels classes, and tells students to leave campus immediately.
1:50 pm – Officials confirm Kirk is in critical condition to the Associated Press.
2:40 pm – Trump confirms Kirk has died, hailing him “great, legendary” in a post on Truth Social.
4:21 pm FBI Director Kash Patel shares on X that the ‘subject for the horrific shooting’ is in custody.
4:30 pm – Utah Governor Spencer Cox, speaking at a press conference, brands Kirk’s death a ‘political assassination. Cox adds there is a ‘person of interest’ in custody and a man arrested earlier has been released.
7:59 pm – Patel, the FBI director, confirmed a second subject taken into custody in connection with Kirk’s shooting was released after being interrogated by law enforcement.
Thursday, September 11
7:15 am – Officials hold a press conference where they announce they have “good video” of the suspect and they recovered the “high-action bolt rifle” in the nearby woods.
9:55 am – Visuals of the suspect are released as officials ask for the public’s help in identifying the individual in the photos.
10:44 am – FBI offers a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone involved in Kirk’s assassination.
10:00 pm – Tyler Robinson is arrested on Thursday night in St. George, Utah, after his dad turned him in. He’s booked into the Utah County Jail.
Friday, September 12
6:00 am – Trump announces a suspect was in custody during an appearance on Fox & Friends. “I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him,” the president said.
7:30 am – A press conference is held with FBI and Utah government officials, including Cox and Patel, where the Utah governor confirmed, “We got him.” The suspect is identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson from Utah.
“Within the hour, my friend drove Tyler and his parents to my office, where he was greeted by plain-clothed detectives,” Brooksby recalled.
“He knew it was inevitable he would be caught,’ he added.
Brooksby said that the inevitable arrest was allegedly why Robinson decided to surrender.
The sheriff said that Robinson allegedly made bizarre requests in exchange for turning himself in.
Law enforcement said they treated the situation as “delicate and soft as possible” so that Robinson would be okay turning himself in.
Once arrested, Robinson reportedly waited two-and-a-half hours for the lead investigator to reply.
“Our job [at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office] was not to interview; our job was just to get him there,” Brooksby said.
Robinson is reportedly not cooperating with federal investigators, according to Utah Governor Spencer Cox.
The suspected assassin is facing seven charges, including aggravated murder, for which the prosecution is seeking the death penalty.
Robinson is also charged with obstruction of justice after concealing or removing the alleged weapon to shoot the conservative activist.
He also faces one count of felony discharge of a firearm and one count of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
WHAT HAPPENED IN UTAH
Tyler Robinson is suspected of shooting conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012, at the age of 18, to encourage political discussion.
He has made headlines for his connections to prominent political figures, including Donald Trump and JD Vance, as well as for his viral videos of him debating college students.
Full text exchange between Tyler Robinson and his roommate
TYLER Robinson has been accused of admitting to killing Charlie Kirk in text messages obtained by detectives.
Here is a transcript of the messages, released by the Utah County District Attorney.
Robinson: Drop what you’re doing. Look under my keyboard.
The note read, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”
Roommate: What?????????????? You’re joking. right????
Robinson: I am still ok my love, but am stuck in orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.
Roommate: you weren’t the one who did it right????
Robinson: I am, I’m sorry
Roommate: I thought they caught the person?
Robinson: no, they grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in similar clothing. I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.
Roommate: Why?
Robinson: Why did I do it?
Roommate: Yeah
Robinson: I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out. If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence. Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.
Roommate: How long have you been planning this?
Robinson: a bit over a week I believe. I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it
Robinson: I’m wishing I had circled back and grabbed it as soon as I got to my vehicle…. I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpas rifle… idek if it had a serial number, but it wouldn’t trace to me. I worry about prints I had to leave it in a bush where I changed outfits. didn’t have the ability or time to bring it with…. I might have to abandon it and hope they don’t find prints. how the f**k will I explain losing it to my old man….
only thing I left was the rifle wrapped in a towel….
remember how I was engraving bullets? The f*****g messages are mostly a big meme, if I see “notices bulge uwu” on fox new I might have a stroke alright im gonna have to leave it, that really f*****g sucks.
judging from today I’d say grandpas gun does just fine idk. I think that was a $2k scope ;-;
Robinson: delete this exchange
Robinson: my dad wants photos of the rifle … he says grandpa wants to know who has what, the feds released a photo of the rifle, and it is very unique. Hes calling me rn, not answering.
Robinson: since Trump got into office [my dad] has been pretty diehard maga.
Robinson: Im gonna turn myself in willingly, one of my neighbors here is a deputy for the sheriff.
Robinson: you are all I worry about love
Roommate: I’m much more worried about you
Robinson: don’t talk to the media please. don’t take any interviews or make any comments … if any police ask you questions ask for a lawyer and stay silent
In a video shared online, Kirk could be seen getting shot in the neck at a Utah debate event, causing blood to pour down the side of his neck.
The assassination has sparked public debate throughout the country on issues such as gun control and rising political tensions.
In texts allegedly exchanged between Robinson and his roommate, the suspected shooter admitted that the “hate” he believed Kirk spread was the reason he shot him.
“I had enough of his hatred,” Robinson allegedly wrote.
“Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
