By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called it “a watershed moment in American history.” Standing before cameras Friday, his voice heavy, he asked whether Americans would choose escalation or “find an off-ramp” from political violence.
Hours earlier, state and federal officials confirmed the arrest of Tyler James Robinson, 22, of Washington City, in connection with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative student organization with chapters on college campuses nationwide.
Robinson, a Pine View High School graduate and third-year student at Dixie Technical College, is charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice.
According to the charging documents, Kirk was speaking under a canopy in the Utah Valley University courtyard west of the Losee Center on Sept. 10 when a single shot rang out at 12:23 p.m., striking him in the neck. He was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, and doctors pronounced him dead after arrival.
Surveillance video captured a man climbing onto the Losee Center roof minutes earlier and assuming a prone shooting position. Investigators later recovered a Mauser Model 98, .30-06 bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel near campus.
Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter said he was surprised by the choice of weapon.
“I was very surprised it was a Mauser — a World War II rifle, not something common anymore,” he said.
Authorities also documented inscriptions on several casings tied to the rifle. The engravings included phrases such as “Hey fascist, CATCH!” with arrows, “If you read this you are gay LMAO,” “Notices, bulges, OwO what’s this?” and lyrics from the protest song “Bella Ciao.”
Law enforcement officials and media outlets have noted many of the inscriptions reference video game or meme culture, including one phrase connected to the online game Helldivers 2.
Court documents state Robinson arrived on campus in a gray Dodge Challenger that morning. Surveillance footage, digital messages referencing a rifle and clothing changes, and family outreach pointed investigators toward him.
Robinson was arrested at 4 a.m. Friday at his parents’ Washington City home after his father recognized him in images and, with a youth pastor’s help, persuaded him to surrender.
For Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, the weight of that moment extended far beyond the crime scene.
“This is a heinous crime,” he said. “And I still struggle with it — what drives people to do such evil? It’s heartbreaking for the Kirk family, and it’s devastating for the family of this young man. They’ll never recover from this.”
Investigators also reviewed Discord conversations provided by Robinson’s roommate. The messages reportedly discussed retrieving or hiding a rifle, engraving bullets, wrapping it in a towel, and watching a drop point.
The messages also included references to changing outfits. Authorities have not confirmed whether the attack was planned on Discord or whether the content establishes motive.
Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson said the rumors and speculation spreading online illustrate another danger.
“There are a lot of false narratives going around,” he said. “People grab onto a rogue story and run with it, and the damage is immediate. We’ve got to pause, validate, and think before we just pop off.”
Prosecutors confirmed aggravated murder is a capital offense in Utah, carrying the possibility of the death penalty.
Since the arrest, Cox has said Robinson is not cooperating with investigators and that a motive has not been confirmed. He also noted Robinson had been in a relationship with a roommate who was transitioning.
Just before the shooting, Kirk was asked by a student how many transgender Americans had carried out mass shootings in the past decade. He replied, “Too many.”
Investigators have not said whether that relationship or the exchange was connected to the attack.
Since Robinson’s arrest, there has been quite a bit of misinformation put out by the media including that his father was a 27-year veteran with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office was forced to correct the false reports after multiple news agencies reported the information as fact.
“Retired Deputy Matt Robinson is not connected or related to the individual apprehended,” the agency said in a statement.
Sgt. Lucas Alfred, a sheriff’s office spokesman, said several national outlets had conflated names.
“They probably pulled the parents’ names from LinkedIn and ran with it,” he said, calling the errors embarrassing.
Robinson grew up in Washington County, attending Riverside Elementary before graduating from Pine View High School in 2021. He briefly attended Utah State University before returning home and enrolling at Dixie Tech.
For Iron County leaders, the shock wasn’t just that a national figure was assassinated in Utah. It was that the man accused of pulling the trigger grew up only 45 miles south, raised in the same communities as their own children.
“It just goes to show we’re not immune just because we live in Utah, with strong families and faith,” Carpenter said. “One person, evil-minded or mentally ill, can cause so much harm so quickly. We can’t be complacent.”
Commissioner Paul Cozzens said the killing may have backfired on those who sought to silence Kirk.
“This coward might have silenced him, but I promise you it’s woken a sleeping giant,” he said. “And now his voice has been amplified.”
As Utah grappled with the assassination and arrest, Cox urged citizens not to give in to rage.
“This is our moment. Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp? I still believe there is more good among us than evil. We can change the course of history.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a First Presidency statement condemning “horrific acts of violence worldwide, including the recent assassination in Utah,” and urging peace and unity despite differences.
“Jesus Christ teaches us to love one another, that hate is wrong and that human life is sacred,” the statement said. “We urge all to reject violence and instead build understanding.”
Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, gave her first public address Friday evening. Through tears, she condemned “those responsible” for his death, saying they “have no idea what they’ve done.”
“My husband laid his life down for me, his nation, his children…” she said. “If you thought my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.”
She promised the work her husband began would continue, saying his campus tour and podcasts will go forward.