US prosecutors on 16/9 charged Tyler Robinson with the attempted assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and released related evidence. "I had a chance to shoot Charlie Kirk and I took it," Robinson wrote in a message to his partner, which was presented by the prosecution.
According to the indictment, Robinson messaged his partner immediately after the shooting on 10/9. His partner, stunned, asked if Robinson was joking. "It was me, I'm sorry," the suspect replied.
When asked about the motive, Robinson wrote, "I couldn't stand him constantly preaching hate. There's some hatred that cannot be resolved through dialogue."
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Tyler Robinson, suspect in the assassination attempt of Charlie Kirk. Photo: FBI |
Tyler Robinson, suspect in the assassination attempt of Charlie Kirk. Photo: FBI
The suspect then revealed he was trying to retrieve the gun left near the scene.
In messages to his partner, Robinson described his father as a "rabid MAGA supporter" since former President Donald Trump's reelection. He referred to a message inscribed on the bullet casing as "a joke." Robinson had planned the assassination for over a week and "hoped this secret would be kept until I die of old age," while also apologizing for the impact on his partner.
While the messages shed light on the motive, they do not specify which of Kirk's views Robinson considered hateful.
Utah State Attorney Jeff Gray confirmed that DNA found on the rifle's trigger matched Robinson's. At a press conference on 16/9, Gray declined to answer reporters' questions regarding whether transgender issues motivated the shooting. "I will stick to what I have presented. All the information is in the file. The final decision rests with the grand jury," Gray said.
Robinson briefly appeared via video link from jail during the 16/9 court hearing. He occasionally nodded but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges. Robinson's family has declined to speak to the press since his arrest.
According to the prosecution, Robinson's mother stated that her son became interested in politics and shifted his views leftward in the past year. "My son started supporting gay and transgender rights," she said.
Robinson's partner is a transgender woman, and the two lived together before the assassination attempt.
Hong Hanh (According to AP)
