Charlie Kirk assassination suspect under special watch as investigators seek motive

The suspect in the assassination of Charlie Kirk is under special watch in a Utah jail, days after he allegedly shot and killed the 31-year-old conservative activist.

“Tyler Robinson is being housed in our special housing unit so that we can keep a close eye on him,” the Utah County Sheriff said in a statement Sunday. “He will remain on a special watch status until cleared by mental health, which may take several days.”

Authorities will then decide which housing for him is appropriate and continue to monitor him in prison, the statement said.

“This is done for various reasons ranging from: the types of crimes you’re booked on, behavioral issues, violent behavior, and/or suicidal comments made during the arrest,” the sheriff’s statement said. “The special housing unit has more close supervision as does our special watch.”

The sheriff noted that he hadn’t been made aware of any suicidal concerns or comments regarding Robinson.

Robinson, 22, is being held in the Utah County Jail. He was taken into custody last week on charges of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, according to an inmate booking sheet from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities are still working to identify a motive in the killing of Kirk, who was speaking at an outdoor debate at Utah Valley University when he was fatally shot in what authorities said was a “targeted attack” on Wednesday. 

FBI Director Kash Patel suggested on Monday that investigators found DNA linking Robinson to the scene of the shooting. DNA was collected from items — including a towel and a screwdriver — that were found. The towel was wrapped around a firearm believed to have been used in the shooting, he said.

“The DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm, and the DNA on the screwdriver, are positively processed for the suspect in custody,” Patel said on “Fox & Friends.”

Patel also said Robinson had a “text message exchange” with “another individual in which 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.”

The FBI doesn’t yet know why that individual didn’t say something before the shooting, Patel said, noting that the investigation is ongoing. Patel did not say when the text exchange happened. He also noted that the firearm that was found in a wooded area near the scene of the shooting is still being processed.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and two law enforcement sources said Robinson is “not cooperating” with authorities.

“There will be official charges filed on Tuesday, and there will be much more evidence and information available then,” Cox said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And again, we’re interviewing all kinds of people, everyone that knows him, and trying to learn more about what that motive actually was.”

He said investigations learned that Robinson had left-leaning political beliefs and disliked Kirk. He also said Robinson’s partner was transgender but that he was unsure if it was relevant in the case.

“The roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female,” Cox said. “I can say that he has been incredibly cooperative, this partner has been very cooperative, had no idea that this was happening.”

Kirk co-founded the right-wing advocacy group Turning Point USA, which is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. People have gathered there to leave photos, flowers and other mementos at a memorial.