(NewsNation) — The suspect who allegedly murdered right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was arrested within 33 hours of the fatal shooting after being turned in by a family member, and authorities have tracked exactly what led up to the attack.
“We got him,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced Friday before laying out the timeline of how authorities apprehended suspect Tyler Robinson.
Robinson, 22, was taken into custody late Thursday night, police said. He is accused of gunning down Kirk while he was speaking at Utah Valley University.
What was written on the Charlie Kirk bullet casings?
Kirk was hit by a single rifle round fired from a rooftop roughly 200 yards away, sending 3,000 attendees scrambling for cover.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI had received 11,000 leads and would follow up on all of them as the investigation continues.
Suspect has conversations about Charlie Kirk prior to shooting
Before September 10, 2025: Officials said Robinson’s family member told them he started becoming more political and talked about Kirk at a recent dinner.
Robinson allegedly mentioned to the family member that Kirk was coming to the school and said he didn’t like Kirk or his viewpoints, authorities said. The family member also said Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate,” according to authorities.
Suspect arrived at Utah Valley University
September 10, 2025: Authorities said Robinson arrived on campus at Utah Valley University at 8:29 a.m. He is wearing a maroon t-shirt, light colored shorts, a black hat with a white logo and light colored shoes. He was driving a gray Dodge Challenger.
Kirk is shot at an on campus event
September 10, 2025: Kirk is fatally shot during a campus event at 12:23 p.m. MT.
The first FBI agents arrived on scene 16 minutes after the shot, and police secured the scene by 12:39 p.m MT, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
Patel said the FBI immediately utilized assets to transport personnel, specialty technicians as hostage rescue teams.
FBI releases suspect photos
September 11, 2025: On Thursday morning, the FBI releases photos of the suspect and offers a $100,000 reward for information leading to the alleged shooter.
Suspect allegedly confesses to a family member who call authorities
September 11, 2025: Thursday night, a family member of Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that he had “confessed or implied that he had committed the incident,” Cox said.
That information was shared with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, scene investigators at Utah Valley University and the FBI, he said.
Investigators interviewed Robinson’s roommate, who said the alleged shooter made a joke onthe messaging platform Discord, Cox said.
Messages allegedly from a person with the contact name “Tyler,” believed to be Robinson, to the roommate stated “a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush,” “visually watching the area where a rifle was left, and a message referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel,” the governor said.
The message also referred to engraving bullets and that the person believed to be Robinson allegedly changed outfits.
The governor said that when Robinson was first spotted on campus, he was wearing one set of clothes, but then changed on the roof, where the shot was fired from, and then changed back into his original clothing.
The governor said that when Robinson was caught, he was wearing clothing that matched what he wore before the attack.
Patel said Robinson was taken into custody late Thursday night.
