WWI-era Mauser rifle used to kill Charlie Kirk may have been untraceable

SALT LAKE CITY — Investigators say the rifle used to kill Charlie Kirk during an outdoor debate at Utah Valley University is a Mauser model 98 dating to World War I and may be untraceable because it predates serial-number requirements. Prosecutors say the suspect, Tyler Robinson, 33, allegedly used the weapon and then discarded it in a wooded area near the campus.

The Mauser 98 is a bolt-action rifle in 30-06 caliber, a model used by U.S. troops and civilians for decades. The gun was described by Robinson in texts to his roommate as grandpa's rifle. After the shooting, officers found the weapon hours later, but investigators say tracing it might have been impossible if Robinson’s family hadn’t pressured him to surrender.

DNA recovered from the murder weapon is consistent with Robinson, according to court papers. Utah investigators say the suspect is not cooperating with investigators and described messages that indicate a remorseless attitude: I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.

Serial-number mandates were not universal until the JFK assassination spurred the Gun Control Act of 1968, which required markings and paperwork identifying buyers for tracing. While many older rifles lack serial numbers, millions of such weapons remain in homes and stores, complicating tracing in criminal cases.

Robinson allegedly knew his grandfather’s rifle was free of any markings. In text messages he sent hours after the killing, he wrote, IDK if it has a serial number but it wouldn’t trace to me. I’m worried about prints, I had to leave it in a bush where I changed outfits, didn’t have the ability or time to take it with. The Utah State Bureau of Investigations later claimed DNA recovered from the gun matched Robinson.

The shooting occurred as Charlie Kirk, a rising conservative figure, was speaking at UVU. Robinson, who is a father of two, allegedly ditched the weapon and fled the area, only later surrendering after family pressure. He remains not cooperating with investigators and faces murder charges in connection with the case.

The case underscores ongoing concerns among federal authorities about the prevalence of World War I-era and other untraceable rifles that lack serial numbers. Experts have warned that similar weapons, which can be found in homes and at gun stores, may pose challenges for investigators in future crimes.