Suspect in Charlie Kirk's shooting identified as Tyler Robinson — mugshot released

The suspect accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been identified as Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah, reports NBC News. The identification reportedly followed a tip-off from the suspect’s father, Trump suggested, who recognized his son in surveillance footage released by authorities, according to NBC. 

The New York Post recently revealed Robinson's mugshot and reported how a family friend mentioned that he was "full of hate." According to their report and Utah Governor Spencer Cox, the bullets used included language like, "Hey fascist! Catch!" Robinson's roommate was also questioned by authorities, the New York Post detailed, and claimed he received messages on Discord from Robinson telling him to get the rifle he used from its hiding spot in the woods.

The assassination occurred on Wednesday, September 10, during an event organized by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University. Kirk, a prominent supporter of the Trump administration and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot during an event at the university. Surveillance images showed the suspect walking on campus, leading to his identification by law enforcement officials, according to the New York Post. 

The shooter reportedly fired a single shot from an elevated spot about 200 yards away from where Kirk sat, according to various sources. The weapon, described as a high-powered bolt-action rifle, was later found in a wooded area. The FBI and local police collected evidence from the scene, including a palm print and shoe impression, NBC described. After the shooting, Kirk was transported to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. 

Following Robinson's initial capture, the FBI offered a $100,000 reward for any further information that could lead to his conviction. The killing is being described as a political assassination, reflecting the heightened tensions across the nation.

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According to the New York Post, Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox expressed his sorrow, emphasizing the severity of the situation for both the state and the nation at large, saying, “This is a dark day for our state, it’s a tragic day for our nation. I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.” 

Meanwhile, President Trump mourned Kirk's loss and highlighted his legacy this morning on Fox & Friends, where he first hinted, “I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”

The increasing danger of political division  

This tragic event has impacted many who knew Kirk, who was renowned for his "Prove Me Wrong" debates on college campuses. Fellow podcasters have come out and paid tribute to Kirk with remembrance videos on YouTube, including Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, Nick Shirley, and Donald Trump Jr., who referred to Kirk as a brother. 

In a YouTube video after the incident with conservative podcaster Steven Crowder, Megyn Kelly noted how violence towards right-wing individuals and groups has been incited more and more by dangerous language used by the left. "Stop calling us Nazis. Stop demonizing us for having completely within-the-mainstream thoughts about these hot-button issues," she stated. "The amount of dangerous rhetoric that they throw over our side...it's not enough for them to diminish or criticize, they have to ruin and endanger our side."

Kirk leaves behind his wife and two young children.