Alleged Kirk assassin surrenders, taken into custody

Jay Jackson
13 Sep 2025, 03:47 GMT+10

The arrest concludes a massive 48-hour manhunt that began after Kirk was shot following a speech on stage at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Sgt. Lucas Alfred, a spokesman for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed Robinson “turned himself in to us.”
The sudden and violent death of Kirk, a prominent and polarizing figure in conservative politics, has reverberated across the nation.

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Federal authorities have arrested and charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a third-year apprentice electrician, of Washington, Utah, in connection with the assassination of conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, after he turned himself in late on Thursday night.

The arrest concludes a massive 48-hour manhunt that began after Kirk was shot following a speech on stage at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, for a TPUSA event, "The American Comeback Tour." Kirk was fatally shot in the neck. The shooting took place at 12:23 p.m Wednesday local time. The university is located 35 miles south of Salt Lake City.

Robinson, identified as the alleged gunman in the fatal shooting, turned himself in to law enforcement around 11pm local time Thursday night, after speaking with his father and a youth pastor affiliated with the U.S. Marshalls office, bringing a tense, multi-state manhunt to a close.

"Assuming all goes as planned and we file charges on Tuesday, Mr. Robinson's first appearance will be Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. MDT," Christopher Ballard, chief of staff at the public information office at Utah County attorney's office said Friday.

Sgt. Lucas Alfred, a spokesman for the Washington County Sheriff's Office, confirmed Robinson "turned himself in to us."

News that Robinson was in custody was floated by U.S. President Donald Trump, a friend of Kirk, on Fox News. The formal announcement came a short time later from Utah Governor Spencer Cox who declared "We got him."

"We are profoundly grateful to the men and women of law enforcement who worked with such urgency, dedication, and courage to bring this person to justice," Turning Point USA said in a statement on Friday. "Their commitment has brought an important step toward closure in this incredibly painful time."

The sudden and violent death of Kirk, a prominent and polarizing figure in conservative politics, has reverberated across the nation, prompting statements from political leaders on all sides condemning the violence.