The FBI has uncovered damning new evidence linking Tyler Robinson to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Robinson, 22, was arrested after allegedly fatally shooting the conservative influencer in the neck during a live event at Utah Valley University (UVU) on September 10.
Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, had been responding to a question about gun violence in front of 3,000 people when he was struck and killed by a single shot.
On Monday (September 15), FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News that forensic tests tied Robinson directly to the suspected murder weapon.
“I can report today that the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA from the screwdriver are positively processed for the suspect in custody,” Patel said, cited by The Sun.
The high-powered hunting rifle was discovered abandoned in a wooded area near the alleged sniper’s nest where Robinson is accused of firing the fatal shot.
Patel also confirmed that investigators discovered evidence of a disturbing note Robinson allegedly wrote before the attack.
“He claimed that he had an opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and he was going to do it because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for,” Patel said.
Although the original note was destroyed, Patel said it had been stored at the home Robinson shared with his partner, and was later confirmed through forensic recovery.
“[We] confirmed what that note says because of our aggressive interview posture at the FBI,” he explained.
Patel added that Robinson’s family told investigators he “subscribed to left-wing ideology,” though the suspect’s exact motive remains unclear.
“My job as FBI director is not to speak to motive, it’s to speak to facts,” he said.
The suspect is being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
He faces charges including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed that Robinson was in a romantic relationship with his transgender roommate, who is transitioning.
“The roommate was a romantic partner,” Cox said on NBC’s Meet The Press.
“We can confirm that that roommate is a boyfriend who is transitioning from male to female.”
Cox emphasized that the partner has been “incredibly cooperative” with investigators and “had no idea that this [the shooting] was happening,” but noted that Robinson himself has refused to cooperate.
A neighbor also claimed to have seen Robinson holding hands with his partner just two weeks before the attack, telling The Sun he thought the 22-year-old was “weird” and adding that he would have “tried to stop him” if he had known what was coming.
Officials have not suggested that Robinson’s relationship or his partner’s gender identity were connected to the shooting, but investigators are combing through his online history and cloud storage accounts for more clues.