By
Andres Gutierrez
Andres Gutierrez
Reporter
Andres Gutierrez is a CBS News reporter based in Las Vegas. Most recently a reporter with CBS News Detroit, Andres brings more than a decade of award-winning breaking news reporting and fill-in anchor experience across several markets including Kansas City, Missouri and Dallas, Texas. While covering Detroit, he reported on major national stories, including the mass shooting at Michigan State University, and the historic six-week strike by the United Auto Workers. Gutierrez also played a major role in CBS News and Stations’ in-depth coverage across platforms of the trials of James and Jennifer Crumbley – the first parents in the U.S. to be held criminally responsible for a school shooting committed by their child. Gutierrez graduated from New York University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
September 17, 2025 / 8:00 PM EDT
/ CBS News
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah, was afraid of being shot by police and ultimately agreed to a peaceful surrender with the help of his family, a sheriff in Utah said.
Robinson was “truly fearful of being shot by law enforcement,” as well as fearful of a SWAT team hit on his house, Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby said Wednesday during a brief news conference. Brooksby also recounted how a friend and former deputy called him on Thursday, the day after Robinson allegedly shot and killed Kirk at Utah Valley University in Utah County, to tell him who Kirk’s alleged shooter was.
Brooksby described the phone call he had with his friend, the events that led to Robinson’s arrest, and how his department, along with Robinson’s family, convinced the suspect to surrender. The sheriff also dispelled certain false reports that had been spreading online.
“I received a call from a friend of mine who happens to be a retired detective that worked for me for many years,” Brooksby said. “He said, ‘Hey, I know who Charlie Kirk’s shooter is. I know the family through religious association and he’s in Washington County now, and we’re working on trying to get him to come in voluntarily.’”
Brooksby said he then called the Utah County Sheriff to alert the lead investigators. “He was shocked as I was to hear the news,” he said. Their brief call lasted 40 seconds.
The sheriff said Robinson knew it was “just inevitable” that he was going to get caught after his pictures and the gun he allegedly used were reported in the news.
Brooksby said Robinson agreed to come in only under conditions that avoided a heavily armed raid.
“He didn’t want a big SWAT team hitting his parents’ house or his apartment. He was truly fearful of being shot by law enforcement,” Brooksby said. “So the conditions were as relaxed and comfortable and almost to the point of inviting. And if at the end of the day we accomplish him surrendering peacefully on his own, I’m going to make some concessions to make that happen.”
Robinson was driven by the retired detective and his parents to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office shortly before 9 p.m. on Thursday, Brooksby said. He was greeted by plainclothes detectives and placed in a secure interview room, and given water while authorities waited for state and federal investigators to arrive.
“He was sitting on a very comfortable couch with a water bottle in his hand, not restrained.” Brooksby said, describing Robinson’s demeanor as “quiet and sober.”
The sheriff credited his former colleague for using community ties to defuse a tense situation.
“He deserves whole credit,” Brooksby said. “Tyler’s family trusted this individual. They knew he was involved in law enforcement at some point and enough community involvement there that they trusted that we could facilitate a peaceful, calm, relaxed surrender.”
Addressing a few allegations that spread on social media, the sheriff said Robinson’s father was not the former police officer who turned in the suspect, adding that his friend had received threats because of those false social media posts.
Two federal law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS News that Robinson’s father saw the photos released by authorities and confronted his son. Robinson admitted to being the person in the photos and said he would rather die by suicide than turn himself in, prompting his father to call a youth pastor close to the family, the sources said.
Authorities said Robinson had allegedly confessed to the killing in text exchanges with his roommate. A spokesperson for Discord also confirmed to CBS News on Monday that Robinson appeared to admit to committing the shooting in messages posted to the social media platform last week.
Robinson was charged Tuesday with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said they intend to seek the death penalty against Robinson.
Arden Farhi and
Ibrahim Aksoy
contributed to this report.
Kiki Intarasuwan is a news editor for CBS News & Stations.
The post Charlie Kirk’s accused assassin feared being shot by police, sheriff says appeared first on CBS News.
