Threatening note, text message confession: What FBI said about Charlie Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson
Tyler Robinson is expected to be formally charged no later than Tuesday, when he is scheduled to make an initial court appearance.
Tyler Robinson, the suspect accused of murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah, wrote a physical note threatening to kill the political commentator.
The revelation was made by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Kash Patel on Monday. He also said that Robinson told another person in a text message before the shooting that he planned to kill Kirk.
In an appearance on Fox News' "Fox & Friends," Patel said investigators believe the suspect wrote a physical note saying he had the "opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk" and would do so. The note was destroyed, Patel said, but investigators have collected forensic evidence that it had existed and confirmed its contents through interviews.
Patel did not offer more details on who had received the text message or whether anyone had seen the written note before the attack.
Investigators have not publicly identified a motive behind the shooting of Charlie Kirk. Law enforcement authorities have said they believe the suspect acted alone when he shot Kirk, but are investigating whether anyone else had a role in plotting the killing.
The Washington Post also reported on Monday the existence of the text message. According to the report, Robinson had sent a message to friends via the online platform Discord, apparently confessing to the crime.
"It was me at UVU yesterday. I'm sorry for all of this,” read a message from the account belonging to Robinson that was sent on Thursday night, shortly before he was arrested, the newspaper reported, citing two people familiar with the chat as well as screenshots it had obtained.
Robinson is expected to be formally charged no later than Tuesday, when he is scheduled to make an initial court appearance. He remains in custody in a Utah jail, where he is reportedly uncooperative.
The Charlie Kirk shooting
Charlie Kirk, an influential ally of US President Donald Trump who co-founded the leading conservative student group Turning Point USA, was killed by a single rifle shot last Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, about 40 miles south (65 km) of Salt Lake City.
Some Republicans, including Trump, have blamed liberal groups for Kirk's murder despite a lack of evidence, while Democrats have noted that left-wing figures have also been the targets of political violence in recent years.
State records show the accused, Tyler Robinson, who was arrested on Thursday after a 33-hour manhunt, had registered as a voter without choosing a political party affiliation and had not voted in the 2024 presidential election. However, a relative reportedly told police that Robinson had grown more political and had expressed dislike for Kirk in a recent conversation.
