Charlie Kirk killing: Suspect had ‘obsession’ with the conservative influencer, FBI says
Courtesy of Gov. Spencer Cox
(Orem, UTAH) — The suspect arrested in the fatal shooting Charlie Kirk had an “obsession” with the conservative influencer, based on the alleged shooter’s digital footprint, FBI Co-Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Monday on Fox News.
Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah native, is accused of fatally shooting Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University on Aug. 10.
Bongino said the suspect appeared to have exhibited “multiple warning signs.”
“I believe co-workers stated he had detached himself when the topic of politics came up and walked away,” Bongino said on Fox News.
Bongino said they are looking into whether anyone knew the shooting could happen and didn’t alert authorities, referring to online chats Robinson allegedly had about Kirk.
“Did they … hear it and think it was a joke? That is what we’re trying to find out now,” he told Fox News. “If there is a larger network here, we will get that out to the public as soon as we can.”
FBI Director Kash Patel also announced on “Fox & Friends” that DNA found at the crime scene, specifically the towel wrapped around the firearm used in the shooting, and on a screwdriver, links Robinson to the killing of the conservative influencer.
Robinson was arrested last week for felony discharge of a firearm, aggravated murder and obstruction of justice, according to probable cause documents, and was booked into the Utah County Jail.
Charging documents against Robison are expected to be filed early this week, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said on Friday.
Robinson was apprehended after his father recognized him in photographs released by authorities, Cox said on Friday. His father told Robinson to turn himself in, with the 22-year-old initially saying no, but later changing his mind, officials said.
The father then called a youth pastor, who is also a U.S. Marshals task force officer. The officer advised the father to have Robinson stay in place. This information was then conveyed to the FBI.
Cox thanked Robinson’s family, who “did the right thing.”
Investigators also interviewed a family member of Robinson who said the suspect had “become more political in recent years,” Cox said.
In a recent incident the family member detailed to investigators, Robinson came to dinner and in a conversation with another family member he mentioned Kirk was coming to Utah Valley University. They talked about why they didn’t like him and his viewpoints.
President Donald Trump, who announced Friday on “Fox & Friends” that the suspected shooter was in custody, said Robinson should get the death penalty.
“In Utah, you have death penalty, and a good governor there, I have gotten to know him,” Trump said of Cox. “The governor is intent on the death penalty in this case and he should be.”
Before the arrest of the alleged shooter, officials said they had obtained “good” video footage of the individual and were able to track the movements of the suspect.
On the day of the shooting at approximately 11:52 a.m., the suspect arrived on the Orem campus and then proceeded to travel through the stairwells up to the roof of the building near where the outdoor event was taking place, before the suspect fired down at Kirk, Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said last week.
Kirk was hit by a single shot at approximately 12:20 p.m. and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
After the shooting, the suspect traveled to the other side of the building, jumped off and fled off-campus into a neighborhood, Mason said.
On Friday, Erika Kirk, the conservative commentator’s wife, said “no one will ever forget my husband’s name.”
“You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” Erika Kirk said on Friday in her first public message since her husband’s death.
Multiple ambulances and police cars on the scene of a shooting at CrossPointe Community Church on June 22, 2025 in Wayne, Michigan. Police report that a shooting suspect was shot dead by a security guard after opening fire at the church leaving one person injured. (Photo by Emily Elconin/Getty Images)
(WAYNE, Mich.) — An alleged active shooter intent on attacking a Michigan church on Sunday was shot and killed by a security guard who “prevented a large-scale mass shooting,” police said.
The shooting unfolded around 11:15 a.m. local time at the CrossPointe Community Church in the Detroit suburb of Wayne, according to the Wayne Police Department.
“We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church’s staff members who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting,” Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said during a press conference on Sunday.
The gunman was identified as Brian Anthony Browning, 31, from Romulus, Michigan. His motivations are unknown, according to police, though officials said he appeared to be suffering from a mental health crisis.
Browning had no criminal history. His mother is a member of the church and the suspect attended two or three services over the course of the last year, police said.
Police said the suspect exited his Nissan truck wearing a tactical vest, armed with a long gun and a handgun, when he approached the church building and began firing his weapon. Several staff members from the church approached the gunman, police said, adding that a parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly.
At least two staff members shot the gunman, causing fatal wounds. One staff member, a member of the security team, was shot once in the leg by the suspect. They underwent a successful surgery and are expected to recover, police said.
The church staff members do not wish to be identified, police said.
At this point, the Wayne Police Department is still investigating this incident, with the assistance of multiple local, state and federal partners.
A bomb-sniffing dog was brought to the scene by the Michigan State Police and a police bomb squad was also brought to the scene, according to officials, but there was no immediate confirmation from police that explosives were involved in the incident.
“Our leadership and support teams are on the ground, at the scene, in Wayne, Michigan providing assistance and investigative support,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a statement.
The church shooting came during a heightened threat environment across the country following the U.S. attack overnight in Iran that destroyed or severely degraded three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to White House officials.
Police said, “There is no evidence to believe that this act of violence has any connection with the conflict in the Middle East.”
Acknowledging the heightened threat environment, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that “it is our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict.”
“The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict brings the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyberattacks, acts of violence, and antisemitic hate crime,” Noem said.
The attack in Wayne came in the wake of a public bulletin the Department of Homeland Security issued after the U.S. strikes in Iran, warning that “low-level cyber attacks” against U.S. targets “are likely” and that extremists inside the U.S. would be more likely to turn to violence if Iranian leadership calls for such retaliation.
The bulletin further urges the public to report any suspicious activity.
It was not immediately known if the church attack has any connection to the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The attack occurred about a half-hour after Sunday-morning services at CrossPointe Community Church started, according to police.
Officers arriving at the scene quickly evacuated the church after learning that a security guard stopped the attack by shooting and killing the suspect, according to police.
The suspect’s name was not immediately released. The security guard was also not immediately identified by authorities.
ABC News’ Luke Barr, Pierre Thomas, Mariama Jalloh, Victoria Arancio and Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.
(Orem, UTAH) — Authorities have taken into custody the person they suspect of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday at a Utah university campus event.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody in St. George, Utah, on Friday, authorities said and sources told ABC News.
Robinson’s father recognized him as the person being sought by police after authorities distributed photographs.
Here’s what we know about Robinson, how the shooting was carried out and how he was caught.
How Robinson was caught
President Donald Trump initially announced the arrest, stating on “Fox and Friends” on Friday morning, “I think, with high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”
Authorities confirmed the news during a press conference on Friday morning, with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox stating in opening remarks, “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We got him.”
Cox said that after Robinson’s father recognized his son in the distributed photographs, he told Robinson to turn himself in. Robinson initially said no but later changed his mind, officials said.
The father then called a youth pastor, who is also a U.S. Marshals task force officer. The officer advised the father to have Robinson stay in place. This information was then conveyed to the FBI.
Cox thanked Robinson’s family, “who did the right thing.”
During the press conference, Cox said that when law enforcement identified Robinson, they also interviewed Robinson’s roommate, who showed them a message between Robinson and his roommate.
“The content of these messages included messages affiliated with the contact Tyler, stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush,” Cox said.
The messages also referred to engraving bullets and a mention of a scope and the rifle being unique.
The rifle is an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle wrapped in a towel, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News. The location of the firearm appears to match the suspect’s route of travel, the sources said.
FBI Director Kash Patel said that law enforcement caught Robinson within 33 hours of the shooting and were on scene when the shooting occurred within 16 minutes.
“This is a very much an ongoing investigation, as the governor said, and we will continue to work with state and local authorities to develop the investigation to provide them the evidence they need for their ongoing prosecutions,” Patel said.
How the shooting was carried out
Cox said on Friday that surveillance video footage from Utah Valley University reviewed by investigators showed Robinson arriving on campus at 8:29 a.m. ET on the morning of the shooting, driving a gray Dodge Challenger.
Robinson was wearing a plain maroon T-shirt, light-colored shorts, light-colored shoes and a black hat with a white logo, according to Cox.
Officials stated that Robinson changed into dark clothing on campus and, after the shooting, changed back into the original clothes.
Cox also described what was engraved on the casings found on the scene.
Of the three unfired casings, one read: “Hey fascist! CATCH!” with an arrow symbol pointing up, then to the right, and then three arrows pointing down.
Another unfired casing read “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!” seemingly in reference to Italian anti-fascist song during World War II and another unfired casing read “If you read this, you are GAY Lmao.”
Prior to being identified, authorities and a former FBI agent previously said they believed the subject to be a college-aged individual with an apparent proficiency in handling a high-powered rifle and likely knew the layout of the university where the homicide occurred.
During a news conference on Thursday morning, Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, said investigators believe they recovered the weapon used in what the governor of Utah on Wednesday called a “political assassination.”
What we know about Robinson
At the press conference, Cox said Robinson had become “more political in recent years.”
Robinson mentioned during a dinner conversation with a family member that Kirk would be visiting Utah Valley University, according to Cox. Robinson and the family members discussed why they didn’t like Kirk and his viewpoints, and the family member stated Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate,” Cox said.
Officials said Robinson was not enrolled at Utah Valley University and lived in Washington County, Utah, with his family.
Robinson is currently enrolled at Dixie Technical College in Utah, a trade school where he was purportedly working toward becoming an electrician, according to two people who know Robinson but asked not to be identified.
One of the individuals told ABC News that Robinson was not in class on the day of the Kirk shooting.
Prior to Dixie, Robinson attended Pine View High School in St. George, graduating in 2021, according to an online graduation video reviewed by ABC News. He then attended Utah State University for one semester, in 2021, according to a spokesperson for the university.
A classmate who says they have known Robinson for years told ABC News they are “stunned” to hear Robinson may have carried out this attack, describing him as “friendly” but “a little more reserved,” adding that they “never really heard him talk political.”
The classmate added that they never observed Robinson expressing any outward “hate or malice towards other people.”
“I never heard him talk politically,” said the classmate, who emphasized that they were not close friends. “I never heard him talk about guns.”
The manhunt for Robinson
During a news conference on Thursday evening, prior to identifying Robinson, state and federal officials released video of the person of interest jumping down from the roof of a building on the campus.
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said the suspect was wearing “distinct clothing” that could help in his identification, including Converse sneakers.
He said the person seen in the video jumping from the roof left shoe impressions and a palm print.
“We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual,” Mason said at the news conference.
Authorities had received more than 7,000 tips and leads and completed some 200 interviews, Cox said.
Bohls said the weapon, a high-powered bolt-action rifle, was found discarded in a wooded area near Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, and is being analyzed at an FBI laboratory.
The gun and cartridges recovered were to be flown to the FBI’s main laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for the most technologically advanced forensic analysis, law enforcement sources told ABC News. The focus is to look for any latent fingerprints and DNA, the sources said.
Investigators also collected a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm prints for analysis, Bohls said.
Mason said that investigators are also studying “good video footage” of the shooter that they have used to track his movements before and after the shooting.
Following Thursday’s news conference, the FBI in Salt Lake City released surveillance images of the person of interest wanted in connection with the shooting. The images showed a person who appears to be a white male, wearing all dark clothing, including a dark long-sleeved collarless top with what appears to be an image on the front that includes an American flag. The man in the images is also wearing a dark ball cap and sunglasses.
The FBI announced a $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the capture of the suspect.
Mason said investigators believe the suspect arrived at the UVU campus at 11:52 a.m. local time, about 28 minutes before Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative grassroots organization Turning Point USA, was shot.
Mason said the deadly shot was fired from a building a substantial distance from where Kirk was speaking to a crowd that authorities estimate was about 3,000 people. He did not disclose which building the shooter fired from.
“We have tracked his movements onto the campus, through stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof to the shooting location,” Mason said. “After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building, and fled off of the campus into a neighborhood.”
He said investigators combed the neighborhood for the suspect and contacted residents with doorbell cameras to analyze.
Brad Garrett, a retired FBI agent and an ABC News contributor, said the evidence investigators have shared so far paints a picture of a suspect who planned the shooting down to the last detail, including discarding the possible murder weapon along his escape path.
“He probably did that [because] he didn’t want to be seen carrying a weapon, running through a neighborhood, or walking through a neighborhood,” Garrett said.
Garrett said the discovery of the killer’s palm print can also be helpful.
“If he’s ever had a full set of prints, where you print the entire hand, let’s say he’d been in the military or some aspect of the government or a contractor, they may have those,” Garrett said. “That’s a long shot, but they may have those.”
ABC News’ Megan Christie, Laura Romero, Mike Levine, Lucien Bruggeman and Tonya Simpson contributed to this report.
Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — No winner was declared after Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing, resulting in the jackpot climbing to $1.7 billion.
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The numbers drawn were: 3, 16, 29, 61 and 69, with Powerball 22 and Power Play multiplier of 2.
After there was no billion-dollar Labor Day Powerball winner, the jackpot continued to climb and reached $1.4 billion before the drawing.
The next drawing will take place on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 10:59 p.m. ET.
Nationwide, 11 tickets matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. The $1 million-winning tickets were sold in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania, Powerball said.
Winners can choose between annual payments over 30 years, with a 5% increase each year, or the immediate cash option.
Powerball’s history includes record-breaking prizes, with the largest being a $2.04 billion jackpot won in California in November 2022, followed by a $1.765 billion prize claimed in California in October 2023, and a $1.586 billion jackpot split among winners in California, Florida and Tennessee in January 2016.
Saturday’s drawing will be the 42nd since the Powerball jackpot was last won on May 31, 2025, in California. The current streak has tied the game’s record for the most consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner.
Tickets cost $2 and are available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9.
Drawings are broadcast live from Tallahassee, Florida, every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET and streamed on Powerball.com.
