OREM, Utah (AP) — The man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk had expressed opposition to the conservative activist’s views and indicated that he was responsible for the shooting, authorities said Friday as they announced an arrest in the killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in a deeply polarized United States.
Tyler Robinson, 22, had become “more political” in the run-up to the shooting and mentioned during a dinner with family that Kirk would be visiting Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox told a news conference. The governor cited as evidence engravings on bullet casings found in the rifle that authorities believe was used in the attack, as well as chat app messages attributed to the suspect that a roommate shared with law enforcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we got him,” Cox told a news conference soon after the arrest was first heralded by President Donald Trump on the Fox News show “Fox & Friends.”
Robinson, who was from Utah, is believed to have acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said. He was arrested on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offenses. He was expected to be formally charged early next week ahead of an initial court appearance.
Robinson’s arrest late Thursday capped a frenetic day-and-a-half search that just hours earlier seemed stuck when authorities pleaded for tips and leads from the public. The assassination captivated the public not only because of Kirk’s outsize influence in conservative political circles …