Investigators found DNA and other evidence to link Tyler Robinson to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as FBI Director Kash Patel’s scrutiny of his leadership during the investigation, federal officials announced Monday.
Patel said Monday that Robinson sent a text message before the shooting saying he had a chance to “take out” Kirk, “he was going to do it because of his hatred of Charlie.” It was unclear who Robinson sent the text to, or whether the person reminded law enforcement agencies. Patel told Fox News that similar information was allegedly contained in a destroyed but destroyed but restored note.
“We learned something shocking when we talked to his family and friends,” Patel said in the interview.
The FBI said it collected a screwdriver on the roof of a building at Utah Valley University, and a towel-wrapped gun that was discarded in a nearby woods. Patel said the towel also contained Robinson’s DNA, adding that the gun was still processing forensic evidence.
Kirk, 31, is a beloved figure in the conservative movement and has won praise for using dialogue to defend himself. He is known for his unfiltered, difficult opinions on enthusiastic topics such as abortion, immigration, and gender identity, which often generate intense criticism, especially on university campuses he has visited. His death at a gunshot during a speech at Utah Valley University shocked the country and sparked heated debate over the motives of allegedly driving Robinson, the 22-year-old arrested for alleged murder.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox paused at a press conference Friday in Orem, Utah.
(Lindsey Wasson/AP)
In an interview Sunday morning, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox claimed that Robinson had a subscription to “leftist ideology” and became radicalized after quitting Utah State in 2021. Robinson’s parents were registered Republicans. Authorities say their son is not affiliated with any political party and clearly holds more liberal views.
Cox said Robinson did not work with investigators, but the closest people he was working with police. So far, Robinson’s friends have painted a photo of young people radically in the dark corner of the internet, the governor said.
“Obviously, there are a lot of games in progress, and friends have confirmed that there is a deep dark internet, a red culture and other dark places on the internet that this guy is deep in,” Cox said.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Robinson was “obsessed with Kirk based on the information the FBI has found so far, and it is studying whether others know the threat he posed.
“Do they…heard and think it’s a joke? That’s what we’re trying to find out right now,” he told Fox News. “If there’s a bigger network here, we’ll make it available to the public as soon as possible.”
There was a lot of discussion about Robinson’s partner with whom he lived with, and Cox said “the transition from male to female.” Cox emphasized in a TV interview over the weekend that the person had no knowledge of the attack, “who was shocked when they discovered the attack.”
Viewers asked how many mass shootings were conducted in the U.S. at the moment before Kirk was fatally shot on his Utah campus on Wednesday.
“Too many,” Kirk replied.
The Hamline University’s Violence Prevention Program found that most shootings were injured in public places were conducted by men. According to the data, only 2% of shootings have been conducted by women in the past decade, while less than 1% of transgender people have been reported.
Robinson’s father saw his image in a long-sleeved T-shirt, and he saw his image in the vast range of the FBI for the shooter. When Robinson threatened to take his life, the family claimed their church bishop – also a neighbor, and he had no right to discuss the investigation, according to law enforcement sources.
Cox stressed that authorities are still trying to determine what caused the deadly shooting and what role, if any, of the political ideology in the incident. More information may be revealed when Robinson is expected to be criminally charged.
Cox told NBC’s “Meeting Media” that “why the reason behind this…we all came to a lot of conclusions. I think these are important questions for us and important questions we have to answer.”
FBI Director Kash Patel commented on Charlie Kirk’s killing investigation, as Utah Gov. Spencer Cox watched.
(Chris Samuels/Salt Lake Tribune by Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Patel faced criticism of the post on X within hours of the shooting, saying “the subject of the horrible shooting” had been detained. Less than two hours later, investigators said they had excluded the person as a suspect and released them after inquiry. Robinson will not be arrested again.
This news is in stark contrast to the announcement of how the FBI and other law enforcement agencies typically handle the arrest of potential suspects in high-profile cases, especially if the suspect’s identity may not be immediately clear. In similar past incidents, law enforcement agencies usually do not confirm whether there are detentions after being detained for several hours after being detained to consolidate their participation.
Law enforcement and political sources said on condition of anonymity that Patel’s information did not match the cautious approach that officials usually take in this situation and led many to question the director’s judgment.
Former Houston and Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said Patel lacks experience in how to handle communications in the wake of the shooting.
“At the all-time high of domestic and foreign threats, the FBI is the leading body of the main agencies fighting them,” Acevedo said.
Former FBI agent Terry Rankhorn said Robinson’s arrest had a huge success for Utah law enforcement and the FBI, despite Patel’s premature claim that the suspect was detained.
“I think it will be in hindsight [Patel] “We don’t know you got him until the jury has been convicted or there is overwhelming evidence, and at this point, I don’t think there is a lot of evidence.”
Even before flying to Utah Thursday, Patel held a meeting with senior agents and released one to them. Patel and Bongino said on a profane call Thursday morning that they were under tremendous pressure to arrest the killer, the New York Times said, three people familiar with the exchange. Patel also called up agents from Salt Lake City because he did not share photos of the suspect with him earlier.
Patel’s actions seem to have caused chaos and frustration, even among conservatives and right-wing experts and politicians.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham posted on X “Suspect,” Patel’s initial announcement that the suspect was detained was incorrect. “Unreal. Get him.”
Joseph Biggs, a member of the Pride Right-wing boy, was convicted of the capital attack on January 6, 2021 and sentenced for his role and bombed Patel on social media.
“Stop all these clickbaits – you’ve been doing it,” he wrote. “It’s incredible to the office you represent.”
In an interview with “Fox & Friends” on Monday, Patel defended his handling of the investigation, including his social media posts on the day of the shooting. He stressed that the 33 hours required to detain Robinson is much faster than many other high-profile arrests before.
“Can I speak better in the heat of the moment? Sure. But do I regret throwing it away? Absolutely not.” “I’m telling the World FBI what it’s doing and I’m continuing to do it.”
Patel is scheduled to testify before the Senate and House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, about Patel’s oversight of the FBI.
