Charlie Kirk suspect said he ‘had enough of his hatred’, prosecutors allege
The man accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk confessed to killing the right-wing activist in a message to his roommate, prosecutors have alleged, as they announced seven charges against him.
Tyler Robinson, 22, left a note under a keyboard for his roommate to discover, said Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray. He added that the roommate was Mr Robinson’s romantic partner.
According to Mr Gray, the note said: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”
The prosecutor also shared text messages between the roommates, including one in which Mr Robinson allegedly said he shot Kirk because he had “had enough of his hatred”.
The suspect is being held without bail in a special housing unit at the Utah County Jail. He is expected to make his first court appearance later on Tuesday.
Arrested last week after a 33-hour manhunt, he has not confessed to police. Gray also stressed during the news conference that Mr Robinson is innocent until proven guilty.
Seven charges were announced against him as prosecutors formally announced they would seek the death penalty over the shooting of Kirk, who was killed by a single gunshot fired from a rooftop as he was speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
The charges are aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent crime when children are present.
Describing the hidden note, Mr Gray said Mr Robinson had sent a text message to his roommate reading: “Drop what you’re doing, look under my keyboard.”
After reading the apparent confession, the roommate, who has not been named and is co-operating with investigators, replied: “What? You’re joking.”
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Mr Gray cited further text message exchanges between Mr Robinson and his roommate, who he described as “a biological male who was transitioning genders”.
In one exchange, the roommate, who has not been named, asked Mr Robinson why he had killed Kirk.
“‘I had enough of his hatred,'” Mr Gray cited the messages as saying. “‘Some hate can’t be negotiated out.'”
Mr Robinson also allegedly wrote: “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
The roommate replied: “you weren’t the one who did it right????”
Mr Robinson replied: “I am, I’m sorry.”
The killing of Kirk, an ally of President Donald Trump and popular conservative influencer, sparked outrage with Democrats and Republicans accusing each other of spreading hateful rhetoric.
The manhunt, which lasted more than a day, eventually led police to Mr Robinson’s family home in southern Utah after his father eventually persuaded him to surrender.
On Tuesday, Mr Gray said Mr Robinson’s mother had seen a video of a suspect and told her husband it looked like their son. The father then confronted Mr Robinson, who threatened to take his own life, he said.
He was eventually persuaded to come to his parents’ house and while there, allegedly hinted he was the attacker. He said he wanted to “end it” rather than go to jail, Mr Gray said.