Conservative activist Charlie Kirk's suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, allegedly admitted to carrying out the attack at Utah University last week. In a series of text messages to his transgender partner and roommate, Robinson discussed the rifle he used and revealed other details, including the motive, according to court documents.
Kirk, 31, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at his 'American Comeback Tour' when he was struck in the neck by a single rifle shot.
Court filings state that the 22-year-old admitted to planning the killing for over a week and even left behind a handwritten note revealing his intentions.Police said the roommate handed over the text messages, according to the documents.
The roommate was described in court filings as "a biological male who was in a romantic relationship with Robinson."
The suspect appeared virtually for his first court hearing since he was formally charged on seven counts today. Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty, citing text messages and a handwritten note in which he appeared to confess to the crime.
Less than three hours after Kirk was fatally shot, Robinson messaged his live-in partner, Lance Twiggs, directing them to check under his computer keyboard.
Twiggs, who is now cooperating with the FBI in the probe, found a note that read: "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it."
At first, Twiggs texted back asking whether the note was some kind of twisted prank. Robinson allegedly replied, "I am still ok my love, but am stuck in Orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you."
When Twiggs pressed him directly, Robinson admitted to killing Kirk. "You weren't the one who did it, right?" asked Twiggs. "I am. I’m sorry," Robinson replied.
Twiggs asked why he did it, to which Robinson replied, "I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out. If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence. Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it," revealing the motive.
Robinson allegedly told Twiggs he used his grandfather’s scoped .30-06 hunting rifle and hid it in nearby bushes after the attack, changing clothes to deceive the police.
"I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpa’s rifle. How the f*** will I explain losing it to my old man," Robinson wrote in one of the exchanges cited in the indictment.
Robinson never managed to retrieve the weapon because police had already secured the area.
Prosecutors say Twiggs has not been charged and is fully cooperating with investigators. One of Robinson’s final messages before surrendering read: "(Y)ou are all I worry about love."
The suspect was arrested on Thursday night, about 33 hours after the shooting, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed.
US President Donald Trump has publicly supported calls for Robinson to face the death penalty and attended Kirk’s funeral.
Top administration officials have threatened to go after left-wing organisations in the wake of the assassination, which Trump blamed almost immediately on the "radical left."
