Charlie Kirk’s purported assassin, Tyler Robinson, allegedly left a note indicating his intention to ‘eliminate’ the conservative commentator prior to fatally shooting him, as stated by FBI director Kash Patel.
‘I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,’ the note read, according to Patel.
‘The note was written before the shooting, it was in the suspect’s home,’ Patel said Monday Morning on Fox News.
‘We’ve uncovered forensic proof of the note’s existence and content, despite its destruction, thanks to our rigorous interviewing methods at the FBI.’
Robinson, 22, was taken into custody on Friday in connection with the assassination at Utah Valley University that shocked the world.
Patel additionally disclosed that DNA linked to Robinson was discovered both at the location where Kirk’s shooter concealed himself and on the towel used to cover the murder weapon, which was later abandoned in the woods.
As seen on Monday, FBI director Kash Patel indicated that the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk had penned a note intending to ‘take out’ the conservative commentator.
Robinson is expected to be formally charged in Charlie Kirk’s murder on Tuesday
The 31-year-old conservative activist was debating with students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when he was shot in the neck
Patel confirmed that Robinson is not cooperating with investigators following his arrest on Friday.
Robinson was finally taken into custody after he was persuaded to turn himself in by his father, officials said.
As of Sunday, investigators were still piecing together information about the suspect and not yet ready to discuss a potential motive.
But Utah Governor Spencer Cox noted that Robinson disliked Kirk and may have been ‘radicalized’ online.
The Republican governor pointed to bullet casing engravings from the rifle suspected in the attack, along with chat app messages shared by a roommate with law enforcement, which are attributed to the suspect.
According to the suspect’s family and friends, his political views have shifted leftward in recent years due to extensive time spent exploring ‘dark online spaces,’ as explained by Cox on Sunday.
‘The roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female,’ Cox said. ‘I can say that he has been incredibly cooperative, this partner has been very cooperative, had no idea that this was happening.’
Cox confirmed that investigators determined Robinson was actively joking with acquaintances on the messaging platform Discord after they noticed he resembled Kirk’s shooter.
Tyler Robinson is pictured, far right, with his parents and younger brothers
Utah Governor Spencer Cox noted that Robinson disliked Kirk, pictured with his wife Erika and daughter, and may have been ‘radicalized’ online
‘Those conversations definitely were happening,’ the Governor told ABC News. ‘And they did not believe it was actually him – it was all joking until he admitted that it actually was him.’
According to the messages obtained by The New York Times, one user on the platform started off by sharing the surveillance pictures and tagging Robinson’s username, writing ‘wya’ – or ‘where you at’ – with a skull emoji.
Robinson fired back almost instantly: ‘My doppelganger’s trying to get me in trouble,’ he wrote.
‘Tyler killed Charlie!!!!’ another user wrote in the group chat on Thursday afternoon, jokingly tagging Robinson.
It took authorities nearly two days to identify and arrest a suspect, forcing them to release surveillance photos of a suspect wearing a long-sleeved dark top, long pants, sunglasses and a baseball cap with a triangle on it at the university.
Governor Cox stressed on several Sunday morning news shows that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack on Kirk. The governor said more information may come out once Robinson appears in court Tuesday.
Investigators have spoken to Robinson’s relatives and carried out a search warrant at his family’s home in Washington, Utah, about 240 miles southwest of Utah Valley University.
Robinson had been in a relationship with his transgender roommate, Lance Twiggs
Police released surveillance photos of a suspect wearing a long-sleeved dark top, long pants, sunglasses and a baseball cap with a triangle on it at the university
State records show Robinson is registered to vote but not affiliated with a political party and is listed as inactive, meaning he did not vote in the two most recent general elections. His parents are registered Republicans.
A high school honor roll student who scored in the 99th percentile nationally on standardized tests, he was admitted to Utah State University in 2021 on a prestigious academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter that was posted to a family member’s social media account.
But he attended for only one semester, according to the university. He is currently enrolled as a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George.
Robinson was arrested on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offenses.
He was expected to be formally charged Tuesday ahead of an initial court appearance.
Friday night, Kirk’s widow, Erika, delivered her first public remarks since the shooting. Speaking from the office where her late husband hosted his podcast, she said he loved America, nature and the Chicago Cubs.
‘But most of all, Charlie loved his children and he loved me with all of his heart,’ she said.
Investigators are continuing to work to determine what may have motivated Robinson to kill Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday
She had a pointed message for ‘the evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination,’ though she did not specifically name Robinson, who law enforcement officials believe acted alone.
‘You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,’ she said.
