The FBI says DNA evidence has tied 22-year-old Tyler Robinson to the murder of US conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last week during a university speaking event in Utah.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed on Monday that DNA samples from a towel wrapped around the firearm and a screwdriver recovered at the scene matched Robinson.
Robinson was arrested on Thursday following a 33-hour manhunt and is expected to be formally charged later this week.
Authorities said Kirk, 31, was struck in the neck by a single sniper rifle shot fired from a rooftop while addressing students. He was the founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization, and a vocal ally of President Donald Trump.
Patel also revealed that investigators discovered a note written by the suspect prior to the attack. “It was basically saying, ‘I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it,’” Patel said in an interview on Fox News. Forensic evidence also linked Robinson to another destroyed note recovered from his family home.
Kirk, a father of two, built a large following across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where he frequently criticized progressive policies, particularly on transgender rights. He was known for hosting live debates on college campuses.
President Trump is scheduled to attend a memorial service for Kirk on Sunday at a stadium in Arizona. Vice President JD Vance temporarily hosted Kirk’s podcast on Monday in his honor.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox described Robinson as a former high-achieving student raised in a Mormon Republican household, but said the suspect had recently embraced “leftist ideology” and was romantically involved with a transgender roommate.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said the suspect had shown warning signs prior to the attack, with friends and family describing him as becoming “more political.”
Patel, who faced criticism for initially announcing the arrest of the wrong suspect just hours after the shooting, defended his actions. “Could I have worded it a little better in the heat of the moment? Sure. But do I regret putting it out? Absolutely not,” he said.
Patel is scheduled to testify before Congress on Tuesday regarding the FBI’s handling of the investigation.
