WASHINGTON (PNN) - September 12, 2025 - President Donald J. Trump announced Friday that the suspect accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk was turned in by his own father.
The suspect has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
Speaking live on Fox & Friends Friday morning, President Trump said he received word of the arrest just minutes before the interview.
“Somebody who was very close to him turned him in,” Trump said. “It was the father, through a minister who was involved with law enforcement.”
The president added. “I hope he’s going to be found guilty, and I hope he gets the death penalty. Charlie Kirk was the finest person, and he didn’t deserve this.”
Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed that Robinson was arrested around 10:00 p.m. Thursday, just 33 hours after Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University.
Investigators linked Robinson to Discord chats in which he described hiding a rifle in a towel near the crime scene.
Bullet casings were found etched with disturbing phrases, including, “Hey fascist! Catch!” and, “If you read this you are gay LMAO.”
Another casing was engraved with the anti-fascist song lyric, “Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao.”
According to a probable cause affidavit, Robinson faces an aggravated murder charge - the only offense in Utah that carries the death penalty.
He is also charged with felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice.
All the offenses are being pursued at the state level, with formal filings expected early next week.
Under Utah law, aggravated murder may be prosecuted as a capital case if the state seeks the death penalty. Prosecutors could also choose life in prison without parole or a minimum sentence of 25 years.
Capital punishment is rare in Utah. Since 1977, the state has executed just seven individuals, mostly by lethal injection.
However, Utah remains one of the few states that still authorizes the firing squad as a method of execution. It is allowed in cases where lethal injection drugs are unavailable or by order of the court.
Governor Cox has already said prosecutors will seek the death penalty in this case, echoing calls from President Trump and other political leaders.
Robinson previously studied pre-engineering at Utah State University on a $32,000 scholarship.
University officials confirmed he only attended for one semester in 2021 before taking a leave of absence.
Public records searches revealed no prior criminal history for Robinson.
Photos online showed him posing with military-style weapons, including a rocket launcher.
Officials confirmed he drove a Dodge Challenger similar to the car seen near the campus at the time of the shooting.
Kirk was struck by a single rifle round from an elevated rooftop position about 200 yards from where he was speaking.
The event was part of his “(Amerikan) Comeback Tour” and attended by thousands of students and community members.
Video shows Kirk grabbing his neck and collapsing as the gunshot rang out.
President Trump said he could not bring himself to watch the video of Kirk being shot.
“I didn’t want to remember Charlie that way,” President Trump said.
He praised Kirk on Truth Social as a “martyr for truth and freedom” and announced he would award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Governor Cox described the assassination as a political act.
“This is a dark day for our state, it’s a tragic day for our nation,” he said. “I want to remind people that we still have the death penalty in the state of Utah.”