The father of Charlie Kirk‘s alleged killer realized his son was the shooter after recognizing an unusual rifle shown in media reports of the hunt for the assassin, according to officials.
Matt Robinson allegedly told authorities that he and his wife became alarmed the day after Kirk was murdered in Utah, when they saw images of the suspect and the weapon he used on the news.
The shocked father recognized his own dad’s gun in the images released by police, as Tyler Robinson’s grandfather had given him the rifle as a gift before he used it to murder Kirk, officials said on Tuesday.
After recognizing the ‘unique’ gun, Matt Robinson texted his son, asking him for a picture of the family heirloom, which the suspect could not provide, according to police.
In a text exchanged between Tyler Robinson and his partner shared by police, the alleged killer claimed the rifle was the only evidence he left behind.
‘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,’ he allegedly wrote. ‘I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.’
Robinson also reportedly wrote about planning to get the weapon from his ‘drop point,’ but that the area was ‘locked down.’
Matt Robinson, the father of Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, Matt Robinson, allegedly told police he recognized his father’s rifle on news reports
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said that DNA on the trigger of bolt-action rifle used to kill Kirk matched Robinson
Kirk, seen with his widow Erika, died in Utah last week after being shot in the neck
‘I’m wishing I had circled back and grabbed it as soon as I got to my vehicle,’ he continued.
‘I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpas rifle… idek [I don’t even know] if it had a serial number, but it wouldn’t trace to me. I worry about prints I had to leave it in a bush where I changed outfits. didn’t have the ability or time to bring it with.
The alleged killer then expressed concern that his father would ask to see the gun.
‘I might have to abandon it and hope they don’t find prints. how the f*** will I explain losing it to my old man… only thing I left was the rifle wrapped in a towel,’ he wrote.
Robinson signed off the fateful text exchange by warning his partner Lance Twiggs to delete their messages, and said his father was trying to call him about his grandfather’s rifle that was ‘very unique.’
‘Hes [sic] calling me rn [right now], not answering,’ he wrote.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said that DNA on the trigger of the bolt-action rifle used to kill Kirk on the campus in Orem, south of Salt Lake City, matched Robinson.
During the frantic search to find Charlie Kirk’s assassin, the 22-year-old man now charged with capital murder texted his romantic partner and confessed to carrying out an attack he planned for more than a week, court documents said.
Matt Robinson allegedly told authorities that he and his wife became alarmed the day after Kirk was murdered in Utah, when they saw images of the suspect and the rifle he used on the news
Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. Officials said they will seek the death penalty
In a text exchanged between Tyler Robinson and his partner Lance Twiggs shared by police, the alleged killer claimed the rifle was the only evidence he left behind
Investigators say that sometime after Robinson fired a single fatal shot from the rooftop of a Utah Valley University building overlooking where Kirk was speaking to about 3,000 people on September 10, he texted his partner and said to look under a keyboard.
There was a note, ‘I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,’ according to court documents.
After expressing shock, his partner who lived with Robinson in southwestern Utah, asked Robinson if he was the shooter. Robinson responded, ‘I am, I’m sorry.’
Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He mostly stared ahead as the judge read the charges and said he would appoint an attorney to represent him.
