The man who allegedly killed Charlie Kirk engraved the bullets he used in front of his trans partner at the home they shared, according to police.
Tyler Robinson, 22, admitted to his live-in partner Lance Twiggs, 22, following the shooting of a conservative commentator at Utah Valley University last week, officials reported on Tuesday.
In text messages between the couple after Kirk’s assassination, Robinson allegedly wrote: ‘Remember how I was engraving bullets?’
‘The f***** messages are mostly a big meme, if I see “notices bulges” on Fox News I might have a stroke.’
Twiggs apparently did not report the situation to authorities after receiving these messages. Robinson was on the run for over a day until his parents identified him from a photo circulated by the police.
However police have emphasized Twiggs is not accused of any wrongdoing and has been fully cooperative with detectives.
Officials did not say whether Robinson had told Twiggs about his dislike for Kirk and his political views.
Investigators are exploring whether others had knowledge of Robinson’s intentions or assisted him. They have not confirmed if Twiggs is part of the investigation but have acknowledged his cooperation in sharing information.
Robinson had been in a relationship with his transgender roommate, Lance Twiggs
Tyler Robinson, 22, joked with his friends that he resembled the man wanted by police for the assassination of Charlie Kirk
The 31-year-old conservative activist was debating with students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when he was shot in the neck
In their text exchange, Twiggs appeared shocked after Robinson confessed, and asked him why he had done it.
Robinson allegedly replied that he had ‘had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred’ and that ‘some hate can’t be negotiated out.’
The alleged killer and Twiggs had reportedly been living together for at least a year.
Robinson allegedly told Twiggs that he had been planning the killing for about a week.
‘Delete this exchange,’ the alleged killer then told the roommate, according to authorities.
Robinson allegedly advised Twiggs, ‘Do not speak to the media or make any statements. If approached by police, ask for a lawyer and remain silent.’
Officials also charged Robinson with obstruction of justice and witness tampering, citing the messages.
According to Gray, Robinson’s mother informed investigators that over the past year, their son had shifted politically to strongly support gay and transgender rights.
Investigators also stated that they discovered unexploded rounds engraved with anti-fascist and pro-trans messages, allegedly linked to Robinson.
She recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.
The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy. That person was able to get Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.
Prosecutors said the series of incriminating messages, a hidden note and DNA evidence connects Robinson to the killing of Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and confidant of President Donald Trump.
Investigators say that sometime after Robinson fired a single fatal shot from the rooftop of a campus building overlooking where Kirk was speaking to about 3,000 people on September 10, he texted his partner and said to look under a keyboard.
There was a note, ‘I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,’ according to court documents.
After expressing shock, his partner who lived with Robinson in southwestern Utah, asked Robinson if he was the shooter. Robinson responded, ‘I am, I’m sorry.’
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said DNA on the trigger of the rifle used to kill Kirk on the campus in Orem, south of Salt Lake City, matched Robinson.
Authorities released this image last week as they ramped up the search for the suspect, with Robinson’s parents seeing it and believing it was their son
Gray declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.
‘That is for a jury to decide,’ Gray said.
