Utah officials have released shocking texts allegedly sent by the alleged Charlie Kirk assassin, Tyler Robinson, to his roommate in the hours after the fatal shooting.
The 22-year-old allegedly texted his roommate about Kirk, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out. If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence. Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.”
That text, allegedly in response to his roommate asking why he committed the cold-blooded killing, was part of a criminal indictment officially filed Tuesday. They allegedly began texting after Robinson left a note that said he planned to “take out” Kirk at Utah Valley University.
Next, Robinson told his roommate—who officials say he was romantically involved with—that he had been planning the attack for “a bit over a week,” according to the indictment.
The alleged killer’s roommate appeared stunned at the development, according to their text thread. While the indictment shows Robinson texted repeatedly to express worry about leaving behind the rifle he used, which he said was his grandfather’s, the roommate responded succinctly, “I’m much more worried about you.”
Robinson, who hails from the state’s southwest corner, is slated to make his first appearance in front of a judge later Tuesday afternoon. There, he will be formally arraigned on a charge of aggravated murder—a capital offense. Federal charges against him remain pending.
Utah County District Attorney Jeffrey Gray announced the charge—and other, less severe felonies, like witness tampering and obstruction of justice—during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
Gray said prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.
“DNA consistent with Robinson was found on the rifle’s trigger,” Gray said on Tuesday. “After shooting Mr. Kirk, Robinson hid the gun, discarded the clothing he wore when he fired the rifle, and told his roommate to delete incriminating text messages and not to talk to police.”
Speculation about what drove Robinson to kill has been running wild online.
Some left-wing commentators have pointed to his Southern Utah upbringing—in a Republican, pro-gun household—as evidence that Robinson may be conservative. On the other side, Republicans have pointed to Robinson’s reportedly transgender romantic partner as a possible motivation to murder Kirk, who was anti-trans. Gray said Tuesday that Robinson’s roommate was a biological male who is transitioning.
Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox noted that Robinson was active in the “deep dark internet.” FBI Director Kash Patel has also spoken similarly, claiming that Robinson “subscribed to left-wing ideology” and was active in online forums that are being probed.
Officials say Robinson’s loved ones are being cooperative with investigators, but that he is not.
The FBI said previously he fired a single shot at Kirk from a nearby rooftop on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem—about three hours north of where he grew up. He allegedly used a bolt-action rifle that was ditched in a nearby wooded area.
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