Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect Tyler Robinson Taken Into Custody. Is He A Groyper?

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A young man from Utah, suspected of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a university forum, has been taken into custody.“We got him,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said during a press briefing on Friday, expressing relief after a widespread search conducted by both local and federal authorities, Reuters reported.

The suspect, identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody on Thursday night, about 33 hours after the shooting, FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters. The agency had received more than 11,000 tips as of Friday morning, the most since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, he said, as reported by Reuters.

However, formal charges have not yet been filed. According to CNN, citing sources, Robinson is not cooperating with investigators. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray is expected to file formal charges on Tuesday, as his office continues to review the evidence. Robinson is also scheduled to make his first court appearance that same day.

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Kirk was killed by a sniper on Wednesday at Utah Valley University in Orem.

Robinson was captured after a relative and a family friend alerted the local sheriff's office that he had confessed to them, or "implied that he had committed" the murder, the governor said.

“I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing in this case and were able to bring him into law enforcement,” Cox said.“Through some process, the family came to know that this had happened.”

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Security camera images, some previously released to the public, and evidence gathered from the suspect's profile on the chat and streaming platform Discord also helped investigators link him to the crime, the governor said.

Was Anderson a Groyper?

According to CNN, investigators found a bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel at the scene, along with bullet casings engraved with messages - one of which read,“Hey fascist! Catch!” Officials are now examining the potential significance of these inscriptions, which could shed light on the suspect's mindset or motives.

There has been speculation on social media that Robinson, may be associated with the Groyper movement. This theory gained traction after a photo surfaced showing Robinson in a black Adidas tracksuit, crouching - a pose often associated with meme culture. Some users on X have placed his image alongside a popular meme of Pepe the Frog wearing a similar outfit, labeling Robinson as a“Groyper.”

Groypers are part of a far-right, white nationalist, and Christian nationalist movement often linked to Nick Fuentes, a known Holocaust denier and prominent alt-right figure. While the term originally stemmed from internet meme culture, it has since been associated with more organized extremist ideologies.

Kirk, 31, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump who helped build Republican support among young voters in 2024, was killed by a single gunshot fired from a rooftop as he spoke onstage during an outdoor campus event attended by 3,000 people. Trump called the shooting a“heinous assassination.”

A bolt-action rifle believed to be the murder weapon was later found nearby, officials said.

The killing has stirred outrage among Kirk's supporters and denunciations of political violence from Democrats, Republicans and foreign governments.

Increase in political violence

The United States is currently facing its longest stretch of political violence in decades. Since the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, Reuters has recorded over 300 politically motivated violent incidents spanning all parts of the political spectrum.

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Trump has survived two assassination attempts, one in July 2024, when a bullet grazed his ear during a campaign rally, and another two months later, which was stopped by federal agents

Suspect's profile emerges

The governor declined to discuss possible motives for the killing. But in describing inscriptions investigators found on ammunition recovered from the scene, Cox said one of the casings bore the message:“Here fascist! CATCH,” adding in response to reporters' questions,“I think that speaks for itself.”

According to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in court, the bullet that killed Kirk had been inscribed with the words: "Notices Buldge OWO what's this?" an apparent reference to a jokey meme about online role play and gaming, Reuters reported.

Details about Robinson's background were only starting to come to light as of Friday. Governor Cox stated that the suspect had spent much of his life in Washington County, located in the southwestern part of Utah near the borders with Arizona and Nevada.

According to state records, Robinson had no prior criminal history. Voter records show he was registered but did not affiliate with any political party.

At the time of the shooting, he was a third-year student enrolled in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College, which is part of Utah's public university system. Earlier in his academic career, he had received a four-year scholarship to Utah State University in Logan but left after just one semester.

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We got him.

A neighbour, Steven Green, said he knew the family from attending the same Mormon church.

A family member interviewed by investigators said Robinson had become more political in recent years and had said to another relative that he disliked Kirk and his viewpoints, Cox said.

I think that speaks for itself.

He was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious injury and obstruction of justice, according to an affidavit filed by investigators. Detained in the Utah County jail, he was expected to be formally charged early next week, Cox said.

(With inputs from Reuters, CNN)

Key Takeaways

• The shooting underscores the alarming rise of political violence in America.
• Inscriptions found on the bullet casings may provide insight into the suspect's motives.
• Family members played a crucial role in alerting authorities about the suspect.

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