"Wanted To Distract": Man Who Falsely Claimed He Shot Charlie Kirk
The 71 year-old man who approached the cops immediately after Charlie Kirk was killed and yelled, "I shot him, now shoot me", told investigators that he was trying to "draw attention from the real shooter," according to a report.
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George Zinn faces second-degree felony charges for obstruction of justice following his false confession.
Washington:
Following Charlie Kirk's assassination, a 71-year-old man approached police officers shouting, "I shot him, now shoot me," but later revealed to investigators he was attempting to "draw attention from the real shooter," according to reports.
George Zinn, described as a known "gadfly," was handcuffed and removed from Utah Valley University after the shooting last Wednesday. During subsequent questioning, he confessed to investigators that he did not actually kill Kirk, explaining that his intention was to create a distraction from the actual assassin, Tyler Robinson.
During his interrogation, Zinn acknowledged his false claim and stated his goal was to divert attention "to draw attention from the real shooter".
Court documents reveal that after being transported to a local hospital due to a medical condition, Zinn made several statements indicating he "wanted to be a martyr for the person who was shot."
Authorities have now charged him with obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony offense.
Zinn has a reputation as a political "gadfly" who routinely appears at various events and typically gets ejected. His record includes numerous trespassing arrests at film festivals, protests, and political rallies.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill stated, "Almost every political event you can think of, there was always George somewhere in the background, listening."
"He's a person who can be odd, and has those kinds of sometimes odd behavior challenges," Gill added, noting he has prosecuted Zinn multiple times. "But by and large, he's more of a gadfly than anything else."
Reports indicate that in 2013, Zinn threatened to bomb the Salt Lake City Marathon, resulting in a one-year incarceration.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the actual shooting suspect, was apprehended last week, one day after Kirk's fatal shooting. He faces charges of felony discharge of a firearm, which carries a potential life sentence, and obstruction of justice, punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment.
Additional charges include witness tampering, as Robinson allegedly instructed his partner to delete their text messages and remain silent if questioned by police.