Students returned to classes at Utah Valley University on Wednesday for the first time since the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk on the school's campus, as authorities released more details about the arrest of the man charged in the killing of the conservative activist.
The campus courtyard where Kirk was killed Sept. 10 remained enclosed by police barricades, and counsellors were made available for students and faculty.
Amid the somber mood, officials described how Tyler Robinson, 22, negotiated his surrender because he feared being shot by law enforcement or that a SWAT team would converge on his home.
Kirk, a , was shot and killed during a speaking engagement at the school. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray has said he believes Robinson targeted Kirk because of his politics.
Robinson, of Washington, Utah, with aggravated murder and other crimes.
Here’s what we’ve learned about the case:
A ‘delicate’ and ‘soft’ arrest
As police agencies were scouring the state for the shooter, Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby said he received a phone call about 8 p.m. on Sept. 11 from a retired deputy.
“He said, ’Hey, I know who Charlie Kirk’s shooter is,'” Brooksby told reporters Wednesday.
The retired deputy, who also is a friend of Brooksby's, told the sheriff he knew Robinson's family through religious association and that they were trying to get him to surrender.
Within the hour, Robinson was in custody.
“Part of the negotiation of getting him to bring himself in was that, that we would treat it as delicate and as soft as possible to make him feel comfortable to where he would show up at my office," Brooksby said.
Investigators also spoke to Robinson’s relatives and searched his family’s home in Washington, about 240 miles (390 kilometers) southwest of Utah Valley University.
Robinson confessed to his romantic partner
Gray said Robinson’s DNA was found on the trigger of the rifle used to kill Kirk, and that the weapon had belonged to Robinson's grandfather.
Robinson texted his partner, with whom he shared a home, that he wanted to return to the campus to retrieve the rifle, but he never did. Robinson also texted that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”
“Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” Robinson texted.
Gray told reporters Tuesday that Robinson left a note for his partner hidden under his computer keyboard that said: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
Charging documents show the note said he had been preparing to kill Kirk for more than a week.
Investigators are trying to determine if Robinson acted alone. Authorities have not indicated that his partner will be charged.
It is unclear how Robinson went unnoticed on the day of the shooting. Utah Valley University President Astrid S. Tuminez said Wednesday that the school is reviewing the security at Kirk’s event, but declined to provide further details.
Robinson split from family on political views
Moments before Kirk was shot, he was taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.
A Christian father of two, he demonstrated a combative new approach to conservatism that openly criticized racial justice movements, the news media and LGBTQ+ rights. Critics said his views perpetuated racist, anti-immigrant and anti-feminist ideas.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has described Robinson’s roommate as a transgender person. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.
their son's politics had shifted to the left in the last year and that he had become more supportive of gay and transgender rights, Gray said.
That Robinson was dating someone who is transgender prompted family discussions, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views, and Robinson told his roommate in a text message that his dad had become “diehard MAGA,” an acronym from President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign that stands for “Make America Great Again.”
State records show Robinson is registered to vote but is not affiliated with a political party and is listed as inactive, meaning he did not vote in the two most recent general elections.
What do we know about Robinson?
Robinson grew up around St. George, in southwestern Utah. He became a member of , known widely as the Mormon church, at a young age, church spokesperson Doug Andersen said.
Robinson has two younger brothers, and his parents have been married for about 25 years, according to social media posts.
Like many in that part of Utah, the family frequently spent time outdoors — boating, fishing, riding ATVs, zip-lining and target shooting. A 2017 post shows the family visiting a military facility and posing with rifles. A young Robinson is seen smiling as he grips the handles of a .50-caliber heavy machine gun.
