A confession hidden under a keyboard. A week-long plan. And a series of chilling texts. Prosecutors have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with the aggravated murder of Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative commentator, who was fatally shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University on September 10. The motive? It may lie in Robinson’s own words: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”DNA recovered from the trigger of the bolt-action rifle that killed Kirk matched Robinson, prosecutors said. The charges carry enhancements and could result in the death penalty if he is convicted.
‘Drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard’
Court documents include a lengthy exchange that authorities say was sent on the day of the shooting. The messages begin with Robinson directing his partner to “drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard.” When the partner did so, the note bearing the alleged confession was found.“I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” it allegedly read.The transcript then records the partner asking in shock: “What?????????????? You’re joking, right????”“I am, I’m sorry,” Robinson replied.
‘You are all I worry about love’
In subsequent messages Robinson wrote about movement on campus and attempts to retrieve the rifle: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.” He later told the partner he had been planning “a bit over a week I believe.”The penultimate line in the transcript reads, “you are all I worry about love,” to which the partner replies, “I’m much more worried about you.”The end of the transcript shows that Robinson added practical instructions to his partner about handling the police: “don’t talk to the media please. don’t take any interviews or make any comments. … if any police ask you questions ask for a lawyer and stay silent.” CNN reported that the weapon a Mauser Model 98 .30-06 bolt-action rifle was found in a wooded area near the campus, wrapped in a towel. Robinson’s DNA was found on the trigger, the casing, and the towel, according to court documents.
A political assassination ?
Kirk, 31, was known for his outspoken conservative activism and was a close ally of Donald Trump. He was addressing students in UVU’s Fountain Courtyard when a single gunshot struck him in the neck. Authorities believe Robinson fired the shot from a rooftop roughly 160 yards away before fleeing the scene.According to CNN, Robinson had told his partner and family that Kirk “spreads too much hate.” During the event, Kirk had just begun answering a question involving gun violence, mass shootings, and transgender people.Robinson’s mother told investigators her son had become “more political” in the past year, shifting leftward after beginning a relationship with a transgender partner. The suspect’s father, by contrast, was described as “diehard MAGA,” highlighting deep ideological rifts within the family.FBI Director Kash Patel, speaking before the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the Bureau is investigating Robinson’s digital footprint, including a gaming Discord server involving more than 20 people. “We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely,” Patel said.
‘I’m gonna turn myself in willingly’
After the shooting, Robinson fled campus but struggled to retrieve the rifle, fearing detection by nearby police. “I might have to abandon it,” he texted. “How the f\\k will I explain losing it to my old man…”Eventually, his parents recognised him from surveillance images released to the public. They confronted him, and Robinson admitted he was the shooter. He allegedly told them: “There is too much evil and the guy [Charlie Kirk] spreads too much hate.”According to court documents, the family enlisted a retired sheriff’s deputy a family friend who helped convince Robinson to surrender peacefully. He turned himself in at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office roughly 33 hours after the shooting.
Facing the death penalty
Robinson faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors say the crimes were carried out based on political beliefs and in the presence of children, which could qualify Robinson for the death penalty if convicted.
