Authorities have identified the man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a Utah resident, according to five law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation.
Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA and a prominent figure in former President Donald Trump’s political orbit, was killed Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University, south of Salt Lake City. The gathering was hosted by the university’s chapter of Turning Point USA, the student-led conservative group Kirk helped establish.
Shot Fired From Rooftop
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said Kirk was struck by a single round fired from a rooftop roughly 175 yards away. “Investigators tracked the suspect’s movements across stairwells and rooftops on campus,” Mason told reporters Thursday. After firing the fatal shot, Robinson allegedly leapt from a building and fled into a nearby neighbourhood.
Video footage released by authorities shows the suspected gunman running across a rooftop, jumping down onto a grassy area, and walking past a parking lot toward a busy road.
High-Powered Rifle Recovered
A high-powered, bolt-action rifle believed to have been used in the shooting was recovered near the scene. Officials said earlier that the gunman vanished into nearby woods immediately after the attack.
Kirk, 30, was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead hours later. His killing has sent shockwaves through conservative circles and reignited debate about the escalating threat of political violence in the United States.
Appeal for Public Help
News of Robinson’s identification came only hours after the FBI and state officials appealed to the public for assistance by releasing photographs of the suspect. The urgency of that appeal suggested investigators were initially uncertain of his whereabouts.
Kirk’s assassination marks one of the most high-profile attacks on a political figure in recent years, underscoring the growing security challenges surrounding campus events and public discourse in the US.
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