Tyler Robinson: Inside the secret life of Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin

Alleged assassin Tyler Robinson bragged about his long-range shooting skills to a co-worker before Charlie Kirk was brutally shot dead at a Utah university.

Kirk — a conservative political commentator and ally of US President Donald Trump — was shot in the neck and killed at the Utah Valley University rally in front of thousands of people on Wednesday, before Robinson was taken into custody after being turned in by his father.

When Robinson, 22, was a first year electrical apprentice he reportedly bragged to a co-worker about his shooting ability back in 2023.

The co-worker, who requested anonymity, told the New York Post Robinson got “excited” talking about guns despite “never really” showing much emotion.

“We were out by the trucks, and then Tyler and another guy came over and we were all talking about what kinds of guns we were gonna get or had bought, and they started talking about their longest shots,” his former co-worker said.

“Tyler said he made a 450 yard (411 metre) shot.

“That was like the only time we got (him) to conversate with us, when we were talking about guns that day. He got excited about it — at least, as excited as he can get.

“He never really showed much emotion. He was just kind of, I don’t know, blank? He was just really quiet.”

The single shot was fired from a building somewhere approximately between 100 and 130m away from where Kirk was sitting. A person, alleged to be Robinson, was captured fleeing the building’s rooftop after the shooting.

Before Robinson was arrested on suspicious of murder he callously joked that his “doppelganger” was trying to “get me in trouble” after an acquaintance of him questioned CCTV of him online.

The New York Times reports the acquaintance, who was talking with Robinson via messaging application Discord, attached eerie CCTV images of the shooter questioning whether it was him.

He reportedly wrote “wya” — where you at? — with a skull emo, raising suspicious about their similarity. That’s when Robinson responded a minute later, saying his “doppelganger” was was trying to “get me in trouble”

He later joked that the group could turn him in to the F.B.I after they offered a $100,000 reward for information.

“Only if I get a cut,” Mr. Robinson responded.

Another user joked that Robinson should avoid a McDonald’s anytime soon — referencing the arrest of alleged killer Luigi Mangione, who was located at the restaurant chain before being charged over the death of a health insurance chief executive in New York.

Robinson then joked that he “better also get rid of this manifesto and exact copy rifle I have lying around.”

He later responded to a question about whether the shooter was from Utah amid concerns Trump would send the national guard to the State.

“in a red state??? nah CLEARLY the shooter was from california,” he said.

Robinson had been living with his transgender partner after recently moving out of his parents’ home according to reports in The Sun.

His neighbour Josh Kemp, 18, confirmed the alleged gunman was in a relationship with his roommate who he described as “weird”.

“I saw them holding hands. They drove off in Tyler’s car. It was about two weeks ago,” Mr Kemp said.

“They looked like they were a couple and he was dressed all in black.

“I thought he was weird because of the way he walked and I’ve never seen anyone dressed like that. He was wearing a mask.

“I believed he was transitioning because I heard them talking about a doctor’s appointment.”

The FBI has been interviewing Robinson’s partner who is believed to be cooperating fully as authorities try to piece together the motive behind the horrific incident, which includes whether he was indoctrinated by extreme.

Robinson had discussed Kirk’s event in Utah with a family member, and had discussed why he “didn’t like him,” according to a police officer who wrote in an affidavit.

The trade school student will likely be charged next week, having been arrested on Thursday night after 33 hours on the run.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Friday that the family told investigators Robinson had become more political recently and had spoken in a disparaging manner about Charlie Kirk.

“On the evening of September 11th a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who reached out to Washington County Sheriff’s office with information that Robinson had confessed to them, or implied that he had had committed the incident,” Governor Cox said..

“The FBI identified Robinson arriving on UVU campus in a grey Dodge Challenger at approximately 8.29am on September 10th in which he is observed on video wearing a plain maroon t-shirt, light coloured shorts, a black hat with a white logo and light coloured shoes.”

FBI Director Kash Patel is facing intense scrutiny after the assassination, after he shared false assurances “the subject” in the assassination had been captured well before Robinson had been found.

Utah said the FBI bosses’ statement — which was shared through an X account — was untrue, stating suspects had been released from custody and that the actual killer was on the run.

Patel amended the statement to say the initial suspects had been released, before he made posted again saying Robinson had been caught.

The FBI director will face a congressional hearing next week where he likely face a grilling over the agency response to the assassination.

US President Donald Trump, who described Charlie Kirk’s death as a “heinous assassination,” will attend his funeral in Arizona on September 21.

Trump told reporters he plans to attend the funeral service.

“Whenever it is, I’ll be going,” he said.

“They’ve asked me to go and I think I have an obligation to do it.”

Vice President and friend of Kirk, JD Vance, is also expected to attend.

Kirk’s wife — Erica Lane Kirk — shared an intimate video of her sobbing over his casket to social media in the wake of his death.

She also delivered a heartfelt video address saying her husband loved President Trump and America.

“But most of all, Charlie loved his children and he loved me with all of his heart,” Ms Kirk said.

“You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife.

“The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.”