33-hour manhunt ends as Tyler Robinson surrenders in Utah Valley University shooting
Suspect turns himself in after a 33-hour search; authorities cite timing gaps and a mistaken at-scene arrest as part of the unfolding investigation.
A 22-year-old man accused of killing Charlie Kirk during a speech at Utah Valley University turned himself in after a 33-hour manhunt, authorities said. Tyler Robinson has been charged with capital murder and related counts in the Sept. 10 attack and faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.
Charging documents and media summaries lay out a timeline of Robinson’s movements that investigators say helped shape the investigation. He was seen arriving on campus in a gray Dodge Challenger about four hours before the shooting. After a roughly three-hour gap, surveillance shows him crossing a grassy area toward the Losee Center and then moving up a stairwell to the roof. At 12:23 p.m., a single .30-06 round fired from a Mauser Model 98 struck Kirk in the neck, fatally wounding him. Seconds after the shot, Robinson is depicted jumping from the roof and fleeing the scene. Investigators recovered the weapon later wrapped in a towel in a grassy area and noted that Robinson had traveled roughly 250 miles to reach his Utah home in St. George before his arrest.
In the chaotic aftermath, authorities released surveillance images and details while pursuing leads. The FBI’s Salt Lake City office issued public notices and a reward for information leading to an arrest. The timeline also touched on confusion in the early hours of the investigation; a man named George Zinn was briefly arrested at the scene and dragged away as the suspect, but authorities later said he was not involved.
The arrest and subsequent charging of Robinson followed a combination of family involvement and law enforcement outreach. Earlier in the investigation, authorities said Robinson’s parents had seen a released photo soliciting tips and raised concerns that their son might be involved. His mother reportedly recognized the photo and alerted his father, who then contacted authorities. On Sept. 12, the Robinson family, aided by a local minister, coaxed him to surrender in Washington County. Police took him into custody around 4 a.m. and booked him into the Washington County Jail at 7:58 a.m.
Robinson appeared in court wearing an anti-suicide vest and faced seven counts, including capital murder. Investigators said the case remains tied to both federal and local authorities as they review the sequence of events surrounding the shooting and the subsequent manhunt, including how information was shared and how quickly suspects could be identified and located. As the legal process moves forward, prosecutors have signaled that the death penalty could be pursued, depending on the outcome of further proceedings and evidence.