The 22-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk reportedly confessed to the killing in a group chat on Discord shortly before being arrested.
Tyler Robinson, who is expected to be criminally charged Tuesday, allegedly wrote in a small group chat, “Hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday,” two people familiar with the chat told The Washington Post.
The revelation comes as officials have said Robinson refused to cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation.
Although Robinson surrendered to the police on the evening of September 11, authorities have not yet determined a full motive for the shooting. Officials say Robinson was radicalized online and subscribed to a “leftist” ideology.
Trump administration have claimed without presenting public evidence that the shooting was part of an organized left-wing terror plot, and vowed on Monday to go after the groups behind it.
Kirk, a Republican activist and co-founder of the conservative youth movement Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while hosting an event at a Utah college on September 10.
His death has prompted widespread mourning and outrage, especially on the right, and Vice President JD Vance stepped in Monday to host an episode of the late activist’s podcast.
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Key points
- Vance says 'left-wing extremism' is partly to blame for Kirk shooting on 'The Charlie Kirk Show'
- Suspected assassin admitted to shooting in Discord chat: report
- Trump admin prepping crackdown on the left in wake of Kirk killing
- FBI Director announces new evidence tying suspect to the scene
- JD Vance praises ‘dear friend’ as he hosts ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’
- FBI probing if 'extended network' aided Tyler Robinson
Watch: Jamie Lee Curtis breaks down over Charlie Kirk's death
09:27
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Alex Croft
Robinson wrote a note saying he planned to 'take out' Kirk, says FBI director Patel
09:02
,
Alex Croft
FBI Director Kash Patel has revealed new details in the investigation into Tyler Robinson, the man who stands accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk last Wednesday.
Speaking on the Hannity show on Fox News, Patel told Sean Hannity that crucial information on Robinson emerged after electronic devices were seized from his home.
"The evidence and information will come out. I won’t stylize the evidence, but I will say what was found in terms of information was a text message exchange where he, the suspect, specifically stated that he had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and he was going to do that,” Patel said.
"And when he was asked why, he said some hatred cannot be negotiated with."
Attorney general Pam Bondi said the indictment is likely to go through either on Tuesday or later this week.
Key unanswered questions ahead of expected charges against Tyler Robinson
08:39
,
Josh Marcus
Officials are expected on Tuesday to formally charge Tyler Robinson with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, an occasion that may reveal new details about the shocking assassination.
So far, officials have described Robinson as a troubled individual who was radicalized online, though investigators have not detailed a precise motive for what led the 22-year-old to allegedly cary out the sniper-style killing.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox has said Robinson had a general “leftist” worldview, while the FBI has detailed apparent references to Internet memes and an Italian anti-fascist song inscribed on bullet casings linked to Robinson.
Officials say they are probing whether Robinson had any outside help, and White House officials have suggested without providing public evidence that the 22-year-old was part of a coordinated domestic terror campaign of some kind.
Robinson’s roommate is cooperating with police, and Cox has said the individual was “shocked” by the shooting and had no advanced knowledge of the alleged plot.
Investigators have also described seizing physical and digital materials as part of their case, evidence which could turn up in Tuesday’s expected charges.
Washington Post columnist says she was fired over posts about Charlie Kirk
08:15
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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Karen Attiah, a longtime Washington Post writer, has alleged that she was fired from the publication for “speaking out against political violence, racial double standards, and America’s apathy toward guns".
"As a columnist, I used my voice to defend freedom and democracy, challenge power and reflect on culture and politics with honesty and conviction. Now, I am the one being silenced - for doing my job," she wrote on her Substack.
Attiah’s Post biography has been revised to say she “was” a columnist.
A Washington Post spokesperson declined to comment, saying the media outlet did not "comment on personnel matters", according to CNN and USA Today.
The Washington Post Guild condemned the firing, saying that the paper "wrongly fired Opinions columnist Karen Attiah over her social media posts".
"The Post not only flagrantly disregarded standard disciplinary processes, it also undermined its own mandate to be a champion of free speech."
Bondi signals DOJ could launch cases against critics of Charlie Kirk using expansive definition of First Amendment
07:50
,
Josh Marcus
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday suggested the Justice Department may investigate or prosecute individuals for making negative or aggressive comments about the late Charlie Kirk, as well as businesses whose employees hold disparaging views of the conservative activist.
“I have no tolerance,” Bondi said Monday during an interview on the Katie Miller Podcast. “It’s not free speech when you come out and you say it’s ok what happened to Charlie. We’re firing people. We’re seeing people online who are posting hate speech. They should be shut down. They should be stopped from doing this. And they should know there are consequences for their actions.”
First Amendment law typically protects people’s right to say almost anything, including highly offensive or distasteful remarks, unless that speech constitutes harassment, a real threat, or imminent incitement to violence. Punishing Americans who expressed a political opinion about Kirk or conservatives like could mark a dramatic departure from legal precedent.
During the interview, Bondi also mentioned the case of a Michigan Office Depot whose employees allegedly refused to print a poster of Charlie Kirk, saying, “You can’t do that in the world in which we live...and you’re going to be held accountable.”
This too represents a something of a novel understanding of federal law, which prevents businesses from discriminating against people on the basis of characteristics, like gender or race, while leaving the door open to some political choices.
The Supreme Court, for instance, ruled in 2023 that a web designer could refuse to create work for people in the LGBT+ community if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.
Texas Tech student arrested at Charlie Kirk vigil
07:15
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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A Texas Tech University student was arrested after she was filmed allegedly mocking Charlie Kirk at a vigil held for the slain far-right social media influencer.
Camryn Giselle Booker, 18, was arrested after she was recorded jumping around and yelling at fellow students paying tribute to Kirk. She reportedly said: "F*** y’all homie dead, he got shot in the head."
Shortly after her arrest, the university said Ms Booker was no longer enrolled.
"Any behavior that denigrates victims of violence is reprehensible, has no place on our campus, and is not aligned with our values," the university told KCRG TV.
Texas governor Greg Abbott shared an image of Booker being handcuffed and added, "This is what happened to the person who was mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Texas Tech. FAFO [f*** around, find out]."
Pam Bondi responds to Office Depot employee refusing to print Charlie Kirk poster
06:50
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Rachel Dobkin
Attorney General Pam Bondi has responded to a report that an Office Depot employee in Michigan refused to print a poster of Charlie Kirk for a vigil.
“If you want to go and print posters with Charlie's pictures for a vigil, you have to let them do that. We can prosecute you for that,” Bondi told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Monday night.
She added Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, “looking at that immediately, that Office Depot had done that.”
Bondi: If you want to go and print posters with Charlie's picture for a vigil, you have to let them do that. We can prosecute you for that. We have right now our civil rights unit looking at that. pic.twitter.com/GugF4PsGwZ
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 16, 2025
Office Depot said in a statement the employee’s behavior was “completely unacceptable and insensitive, violates our company policies, and does not reflect the values we uphold at Office Depot.”
The company apologized for the “regrettable” situation and said that after an internal review, the employee is “no longer with the organization.”
Patel to face Senate amid questions over probe into Charlie Kirk's killing
06:35
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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Kash Patel will confront skeptical Senate Democrats at a congressional hearing today, which is likely to be dominated by questions about the investigation into Charlie Kirk's killing as well as the recent firings of senior officials who have accused the FBI director of illegal political retribution.
Patel will be returning to the committee for the first time since his confirmation hearing in January, when he sought to reassure Democrats that he would not pursue retribution as director.
He'll face questions about whether he did exactly that when the FBI last month fired five agents and senior officials in a purge that current and former officials say weakened morale and contributed to unease inside the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency.
Three of those officials sued last week in a federal complaint that says Patel knew the firings were likely illegal but carried them out anyway to protect his job.
Republican lawmakers who make up the majority in the committee are expected to show solidarity for Patel are likely to praise the director for his focus on violent crime and illegal immigration.
They are also likely to try to elicit from Patel fresh details about the investigation into Kirk's assassination.
WATCH LIVE: Thousands gather at Arizona State Vigil to honor Charlie Kirk
03:50
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Josh Marcus
Nancy Mace to force a House vote to censure Ilhan Omar: 'Free speech isn't free from consequences'
03:30
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Rachel Dobkin and Josh Marcus
Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, announced she will force a House vote to censure Ilhan Omar for comments she made about the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“Free speech isn't free from consequences. Tomorrow, we are filing a PRIVILEGED motion to censure Ilhan Omar and remove her from her committees. This will force a vote,” Mace wrote on X Monday night.
Free speech isn't free from consequences. Tomorrow, we are filing a PRIVILEGED motion to censure Ilhan Omar and remove her from her committees. This will force a vote.
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) September 16, 2025
Half measures are not enough any more.
Ilhan Omar is not compatible with our American values. She has no… pic.twitter.com/SwTe0sML5b
Earlier, the congresswoman posted a copy of the censure resolution against Omar, claiming she made recent “disgraceful” remarks about Kirk’s assassination. The resolution also calls for Omar to be stripped of her committee assignments.
The resolution referred to a recent interview between Omar and the news site Zeteo, in which the Minnesota Democrat accused conservatives of weaponizing Kirk’s death to attack the left. The resolution also cites a video Omar is claimed to have reposted that suggested Kirk’s divisive views helped create the political conditions that led to his death.
BREAKING: We’re filing a resolution to strip @Ilhan of her committee assignments after her disgraceful remarks on Charlie Kirk’s assassination. pic.twitter.com/unGWzbOV5T
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) September 15, 2025
Also Monday, Omar appeared to weigh in on widespread conservative anger about those being critical or even celebrating after Kirk’s death.
“To those claiming they're for free speech while punishing and silencing those for exercising that right: You're not pro-free speech,” she wrote on X.
To those claiming they're for free speech while punishing and silencing those for exercising that right: You're not pro-free speech.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) September 15, 2025
Watch: FBI director says they have seized computers and gaming systems from Tyler Robinson and his 'romantic partner'
03:00
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Rachel Dobkin
.@FBIDirectorKash: We are going to be interviewing scores of people — not just from these chats on Discord, but any communications that this individual had. We've seized multiple electronic devices from the home of the suspect and his romantic partner. pic.twitter.com/w1Wdn4R7Kr
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 16, 2025
In pictures: Charlie Kirk vigil on Capitol Hill
02:40
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Rachel Dobkin
Congress members held a vigil for the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Capitol Hill Monday evening. Here are some photos from the event:
Several Democrats attend Charlie Kirk vigil
02:30
,
Rachel Dobkin
Several Democrats attended the Republican-led prayer vigil for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Capitol Hill Monday evening.
Representatives Debbie Dingell of Michigan, Tom Suozzi of New York, Don Davis of North Carolina, John Larson of Connecticut, Jimmy Panetta of California and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington had come to the event to pay their respects, according to The New York Times.
In an X post Monday night, Larson wrote: “The death of Charlie Kirk and the shooting at Evergreen High School shocked us to our core. They are solemn reminders of the scourge of gun violence and why we must never accept political violence. As a Congress, we must stand up and act to protect the communities we serve.”
The death of Charlie Kirk and the shooting at Evergreen High School shocked us to our core. They are solemn reminders of the scourge of gun violence and why we must never accept political violence. As a Congress, we must stand up and act to protect the communities we serve. pic.twitter.com/wAEj0dNKDs
— Rep. John Larson (@RepJohnLarson) September 16, 2025
Hakeem Jeffries reveals reason he didn't attend Charlie Kirk vigil
02:20
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Rachel Dobkin
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries didn’t attend a prayer vigil for the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk Monday evening because of a scheduling conflict.
Led by House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, congressional Republicans held an event on Capitol Hill Monday evening to pay their respects to Kirk.
When asked why he didn’t attend the vigil, Jeffries told CNN’s Ellis Kim, “We had a steering and policy committee meeting.”
Hakeem Jeffries on why he didn’t attend Charlie Kirk vigil hosted by Speaker Johnson in the Capitol.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 15, 2025
“We had a steering and policy committee meeting,” he told @elliskkim
Republicans host prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk: 'We should overcome evil with good'
02:12
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Rachel Dobkin
Congressional Republicans hosted a prayer vigil for the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Capitol Hill Monday evening.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told his colleagues and the American public, “Scripture reminds us that we should not be overcome by evil, but we should overcome evil with good, that is the legacy of Charlie Kirk."
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise shared photos of the vigil on social media, writing, “We will continue to honor Charlie by standing strong in our faith and never being intimidated into silence.”
Tonight I joined my colleagues in remembering the incredible life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) September 15, 2025
We will continue to honor Charlie by standing strong in our faith and never being intimidated into silence.
God bless Charlie, his family, and his enduring legacy. pic.twitter.com/IeLoT94Hkk
“Though these are trying times, our faith in America must remain strong. Through the darkest times, we will always find peace,” Representative Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, wrote on X.
Tonight, I joined @HouseGOP as we honored the life of Charlie Kirk during a vigil at the U.S. Capitol Building.
— Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) September 16, 2025
Though these are trying times, our faith in America must remain strong. Through the darkest times, we will always find peace. pic.twitter.com/KQ5HitRYDl
SC lawmaker wants to pull funding from major college over three faculty members’ alleged Charlie Kirk comments
01:30
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Josh Marcus
A Republican legislator in South Carolina has called for one of the state's biggest colleges to be defunded if it does not crack down on faculty members who allegedly celebrated Charlie Kirk's assassination.
In a letter published on Facebook on Monday, state House of Representatives member Jordan Pace asked House and Senate leaders to call a special session in order to punish Clemson University for allegedly "failing to act".
"Such behavior is intolerable at any public institution funded by South Carolina taxpayers," Pace wrote. "We, as a body, should be clear on what accountability looks like: immediate termination of those faculty members.
"If Clemson persists in this failure we must act. If Clemson refuses to hold these faculty members accountable then the taxpayers deserve a refund."
Io Dodds has the story.
Trump, Miller outline crackdown on left-wing groups following Kirk killing
01:15
,
Josh Marcus
The Trump administration is preparing to crack down on unspecified left-wing groups it alleges had a hand in the Charlie Kirk assassination and other recent political violence, officials said on Monday.
“We are going to channel all the anger we have over the organized campaign to led to this assassination to uproot and dismantle these terrorist networks,” White House deputy chief of staff said Monday during a memorial taping of Kirk’s podcast at the White House, hosted by Vice President JD Vance.
Officials have not described suspect Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson as receiving help from any group or even being a member of any organized political movement or party, though they have said he held a general “leftist” ideology. They have also not determined a full motive for the shooting.
Elsewhere, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has implied schools where educators have made negative comments about Kirk following his death could lose federal funding, as Republicans in Congress like Nancy Mace push the Department of Education to cut ties.
Later that day, taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he supported designating antifa as a domestic terror organization and wanted to use a so-called RICO statute, criminal conspiracy laws usually used against organized crime figures, to prosecute people he claimed without evidence were spending “millions and millions” of dollars to pay violent agitators at recent protests.
Antifa is a broad category of anti-fascist activists, not a single group with a leader or common organizational structure, which would likely frustrate efforts to classify it as an organized terror cell.
Charlie Kirk's sister has drastically different political views: report
Tuesday 16 September 2025 00:45
,
Josh Marcus
Charlie Kirk’s sister reportedly appears to have very different political views than her late brother, one of the country’s most prominent young conservative activists.
Mary Kirk, 29, supported Bernie Sanders and urged followers online to donate to a museum on slavery that had its funding cut by the Trump administration, The Daily Beast reports.
“#Tbt to when I met Bernie a year ago and had no idea who he was and now he is the light of my life,” she wrote on social media in 2016, according to the outlet.
Teachers suspended for post on Charlie Kirk for post that 'justified violence'
Tuesday 16 September 2025 00:27
,
Josh Marcus
A Southern California teacher has been suspended for social media comments that allegedly celebrated violence after the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
"We are shocked and deeply dismayed by the vile and completely inappropriate sentiments displayed in a social media post made by one of our employees regarding the recent horrific murder of Charlie Kirk," Las Virgenes Unified School District in Calabasas said in a statement to KABC. "At a time when our world feels so divided, educators carry a special responsibility: to help young people learn how to handle conflict, respect different points of view, and engage in civil discourse, regardless of where one lies on the political spectrum."
The school district, which did not name the educator in question, said the social media material “violates Board policy.”
"It is never appropriate for any LVUSD employee to justify violence," the district statement reads.
Tyler Robinson's roomate/partner 'hates conservatives and Christians'
Tuesday 16 September 2025 00:15
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Josh Marcus
The roommate and romantic partner of Tyler Robinson, the man arrested for allegedly shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk, had aggressive views towards Christians and those on the political right, according to a family member.
The individual “hates conservatives and Christians," a relative of Robinson’s told Fox News.
The family member said Robinson came to share their views during the year they were dating.
"He has obviously gotten progressively worse the last year or two," the relative said, describing Robinson as “very angry.”
Officials have said the roommate, whom they described as in the midst of a transition from male to female, is cooperating with officials and was “shocked” by the assassination.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday there is “not a solid understanding” whether there was a connection between the gender identity of the roommate and the killing of Kirk, an outspoken conservative who denied the legitimacy of transgender people.
In the wake of the shooting, allegations that Robinson’s roommate or partner is transgender prompted some in the MAGA movement to repeat the false, debunked claim that trans people are more likely to carry out gun violence.
Nancy Mace seeks to strip Ilhan Omar of committee assignments over Charlie Kirk comments
Tuesday 16 September 2025 00:00
,
Josh Marcus
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota should be stripped of her committee assignments over recent comments about Charlie Kirk, according to Rep. Nancy Mace.
The South Carolina Republican posted a copy of a censure resolution against Omar on X, alleging she made recent “disgraceful” remarks about Kirk’s assassination.
The resolution referred to a recent interview between Omar and the news site Zeteo, in which the Minnesota accused conservatives of weaponizing Kirk’s death to attack the left. The resolution also cites a video Omar allegedly reposted that suggested Kirk’s divisive views helped create the political conditions that led to his death.
Earlier in the day, Omar appeared to weigh in on widespread conservative anger about those being critical or even celebrating after Kirk’s death.
“To those claiming they're for free speech while punishing and silencing those for exercising that right: You're not pro-free speech,” she wrote.
Trump appears to forget about recently slain Minnesota lawmaker in question about lowering flags
Monday 15 September 2025 23:45
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Josh Marcus
Speaking to reporters on Monday, President Trump appeared to initially be unfamiliar with the recent fatal shooting of Melissa Hortman, the Democratic former speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, who was killed in June along with her husband in what officials described at the time as a “politically-motivated” shooting.
“I’m not familiar,” Trump said, when asked about whether he thought it would be appropriate to have lowered flags to half-mast for Hortman, as the president did for the recently slain Charlie Kirk.
“Well if the governor had asked me to do that, I would’ve done that, but the governor of Minnesota didn’t ask me,” Trump said of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. “I wouldn’t have thought of that, but I would’ve if somebody had asked me.”
At the time of the Minnesota shootings, Trump said it would “waste time” to call the “whacked out” Walz, who ran against the Republican as Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential pick in the 2024 election.
Watch: JD Vance On Why He Owes His Political Career To Charlie Kirk
Monday 15 September 2025 23:30
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Ariana Baio
Young conservatives reflect on Kirk's massive impact
Monday 15 September 2025 23:15
,
Josh Marcus
Charlie Kirk is being remembered as a singular figure in U.S. politics, perhaps the single most influential figure in attracting young people into conservative politics, despite decades of the youth leaning left.
“I thought it was supercool that there’s someone younger who was going to all these universities, and who did believe in God and really made that known,” Grand Canyon University student Olivia Hubbard told The Wall Street Journal.
Kirk, who became a fixture on college campuses with “debate me”-style public conversations with students, proved instrumental in helping erode the Democratic Party’s hold on young voters.
In 2024, Kamala Harris failed to clear the 60 percent or more youth support that every Democrat has achieved since 2008, according to exit polls.
FBI probing if 'extended network' aided Tyler Robinson
Monday 15 September 2025 23:00
,
Josh Marcus
Federal officials are investigating whether Charlie Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson acted alone or had any outside help.
“We’ll also be dropping a lot of paper, a lot of subpoenas out there, to take a look to see if there was any extended network,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino told Fox News on Monday.
He added said the agency was aware of “multiple warning signs” Robinson left before the shooting and was seeking to determine if the 22-year-old was “part of a larger effort” or was prevented from being caught by “someone who knew the specifics of it and failed to report that.”
Could drones have stopped the Charlie Kirk assassination?
Monday 15 September 2025 22:46
,
Josh Marcus
A Democratic congressman has called for drones to be used to foil assassination attempts at public events in the wake of Charlie Kirk's death.
New York representative Ritchie Torres said on Monday that he would introduce a bill in the House of Representatives this week ordering the Department of Homeland Security to study the possibility.
"Common sense dictates that drone technology should be harnessed to scan every elevated structure with a line of sight to a target," said Torres in an interview with Axios.
"If drones can enable the early detection and prevention of assassination attempts, why not use them? Better to have vigilant eyes in the sky than to remain blind to would-be assassins."
Io Dodds reports.
Potential explosive attack foiled in Utah after Kirk shooting
Monday 15 September 2025 22:32
,
Josh Marcus
A tense atmosphere remains in Utah, following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a college speaking event last week.
As the dust settled after the assassination, police say another violent incident was underway, in which two men are accused of putting an explosive device under a news network’s vehicle on Friday.
The device, which lit but malfunctioned, was put under a vehicle belonging to Fox 13, a Salt Lake City-area outlet.
Two men, Adeeb Nasir, 58, and Adil Justice Ahmed Nasir, 31, have been arrested.
Police have not described any link between the alleged bomb plot and the Kirk killing.
Tyler Robinson left note vowing to 'take out' Kirk: FBI
Monday 15 September 2025 22:21
,
Josh Marcus
The gunman suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk left behind a note at home describing his intention to “take out” the conservative activist, according to the FBI.
The rough message of the note was, “’I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk,’ and I'm going to take it that note was written before the shooting," FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox & Friends on Monday.
"Even though it has been destroyed, we have found forensic evidence of the note,” he added.
As John Bowden reports, Patel is under heavy scrutiny for the bureau’s handling of the Kirk investigation.
Robinson will make first court appearance on Tuesday
Monday 15 September 2025 22:08
,
Ariana Baio
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspected shooter in the Charlie Kirk assassination, is expected to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, where authorities will formally charge him.