'Tyler, is this you?': How a father's question revealed Charlie Kirk's shooting suspect
Charlie Kirk was shot dead on Wednesday afternoon during a Q&A session on the Utah Valley University (UVU) campus in Utah.
A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation regarding the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah has opened up about how the suspect in the case was apprehended after a massive manhunt.
Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Wednesday afternoon during a Q&A session on the Utah Valley University (UVU) campus in Orem, Utah. He was being asked questions about mass shootings in America when he was shot in the neck.
The suspect, later identified as Tyler Robinson, was captured on camera wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with an eagle and American flag, sunglasses, and a baseball cap.
Also Read | Charlie Kirk's killing: Accused Tyler Robinson to be formally charged next week
Authorities say he was seen leaping from the roof of a university building in Utah shortly after the shooting and fleeing into nearby woods.
When the father of the suspect viewed the images shared by authorities, he confronted his son directly.
“Tyler, is this you? This looks like you,” the father asked, a law enforcement official briefed on the case told CNN.
Robinson confessed to his father that he had shot Kirk. But when urged to turn himself in, Robinson refused.
Also Read | Charlie Kirk's wife breaks down in first remarks since shooting: 'He loved me'
“I would rather kill myself than turn myself in,” he responded, according to the official cited above.
The law enforcement source said the father persuaded Robinson to confide in a youth pastor who works with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the US Marshal’s Service.
Also Read | Tyler Robinson's family on arrest in Charlie Kirk case: ‘So confused'
A family friend ultimately contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, which relayed the tip to authorities in Utah County and the FBI, leading to Robinson's arrest.
Charlie Kirk shooting: Governor thanks Tyler Robinson's family
According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, the footage from a security camera and evidence gathered from the suspect's profile on the chat and streaming platform Discord helped investigators link the 22-year-old to the crime.
"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," the governor said, according to Reuters.
Tyler is being held on suspicion of aggravated murder and other charges that are expected to be formally filed in court early next week, the governor added.
