Urgent/breaking: Police have arrested Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin
He's a 22-year-old Utah man named Tyler Robinson; authorities say unfired ammunition found near his rifle contained "anti-fascist" engravings.
Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah man, has been arrested for the shooting of Charlie Kirk, law enforcement and Utah governor Spencer Cox said this morning.
Last night, Robinson’s family told a friend Robinson had confessed to killing Kirk, Cox said at a news conference this morning. The confession came after Robinson’s father recognized him from surveillance photos released by authorities and confronted him, the New York Post reported.
The family friend then contacted police, Cox said.
Several shell casings found along with the rifle allegedly used in the killing contained engravings, including “Hey, fascist! Catch!” and ""Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,” a reference to an anti-fascist slogan sung in Italy after World War 2.
Cox said police believe Robinson acted alone. He did not say whether they had found a manifesto or other any fuller explanation or whether Robinson had confessed to the crime or provided a motive.
The New York Post published Robinson’s name before the press conference and before social media companies and his family could scrub videos, photos, or posts from him, as is common in high-profile cases. But the posts appear so far mostly unremarkable.
President Trump has called for the death penalty in the case.
Will be updated as needed
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(Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk)
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Part 1 of my piece about the broader implications of Charlie Kirk’s murder is here.
The irony of anti-fascist slogans on a fascist killing someone promoting freedom.
I would just like to add a quick note of thanks to Tyler's father. I'm sure that must have been a difficult decision (knowing what's coming), but it was the right decision. It's a tough pill to swallow know your son has turned out to be something the world can do without, and that he was most likely to keep going with these sorts of actions. You're in my prayers, sir.