Charlie Kirk's Killer Wrote 'Opportunity To Take Him Out' Note Before Murder
The suspect accused of murdering right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in Utah told another person in a text message before the shooting that he planned to kill Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday.
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Tyler Robinson allegedly messaged friends on Discord apparently admitting to the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Provo, Utah:
The individual suspected of assassinating right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in Utah had communicated his murderous intentions via text message prior to the shooting, according to FBI Director Kash Patel's Monday statement.
During his appearance on "Fox & Friends," Patel revealed that investigators believe the suspect had written a physical note stating he had the "opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk" and intended to follow through. Patel noted that while this note was subsequently destroyed, forensic evidence confirms its existence, with its contents verified through witness interviews.
Patel did not elaborate on the recipient of the text message or whether anyone had viewed the written note before the attack occurred.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified a motive. Law enforcement officials believe the suspect acted independently when shooting Kirk but are investigating possible accomplices in planning the assassination.
Additionally, the Washington Post reported Monday that Robinson had sent a message through Discord to friends seemingly confessing to the crime.
"It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of this," read a message from Robinson's account sent Thursday night shortly before his arrest, according to the newspaper, which cited two sources familiar with the conversation and obtained screenshots.
Kirk, a prominent Trump ally and co-founder of conservative student organization Turning Point USA, was killed by a single rifle shot last Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, approximately 40 miles (65 km) south of Salt Lake City.
Robinson is anticipated to face formal charges by Tuesday, when his initial court appearance is scheduled. He remains detained in a Utah jail facility.
Patel told Fox News that DNA matching Robinson, 22, was discovered on a towel wrapped around the suspected murder weapon and on a screwdriver found on the rooftop from which authorities believe the fatal shot was fired.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated Sunday that Robinson has refused to cooperate with authorities, but investigators are interviewing his associates and family members to determine the shooting's motivation.
The assassination has unsettled a nation already experiencing increased political violence fueled by intensifying right-left polarization.
Several Republicans, including Trump, have attributed Kirk's murder to liberal groups despite lacking evidence, while Democrats have pointed out that left-wing figures have also been targeted by political violence recently.
During an appearance on Kirk's podcast Monday, Vice President JD Vance claimed the "incredibly destructive movement of left-wing extremism" contributed to Kirk's killing.
Although Robinson was raised by religious parents in a deeply conservative area, "his ideology was very different than his family," Cox stated Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," without providing specific details.
State records indicate Robinson registered as a voter without party affiliation and did not participate in the 2024 presidential election. However, a relative informed police that Robinson had become increasingly political and had expressed antipathy toward Kirk in a recent conversation.
Kirk's murder represents the latest in a series of high-profile incidents of U.S. political violence. Last year, Trump survived two assassination attempts, including one where a bullet grazed his ear.
In April, an arsonist targeted Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's home, though the governor's family escaped unharmed. In June, a senior Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were murdered in their home, while a man attacked a pro-Israel march in Colorado with Molotov cocktails, resulting in one fatality.
In August, a gunman fixated on COVID-19 conspiracy theories opened fire at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, killing a police officer.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, is organizing a Capitol vigil for Kirk on Monday. Last week, Johnson's attempt to hold a moment of silence in the House devolved into partisan confrontation between lawmakers.