The suspect accused of murdering right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in Utah told another person in a text message before the shooting that he planned to kill Kirk, FBI director Kash Patel said yesterday.
In an appearance on Fox News’ Fox & Friends, Patel also said investigators believe the suspect wrote a physical note saying he had the “opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk” and would do so.
The note was destroyed, Patel said, but investigators have collected forensic evidence that it had existed and confirmed its contents through interviews.
Patel did not offer more details on who had received the text message or whether anyone had seen the written note before the attack.
Investigators have not publicly identified a motive. Law enforcement authorities have said they believe the suspect acted alone when he shot Kirk but are investigating whether anyone else had a role in plotting the killing.
Separately, the Washington Post reported yesterday that Robinson had sent a message via the online platform Discord to friends apparently confessing to the crime.
“It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of this,” read a message from the account belonging to Robinson that was sent on Thursday night, shortly before he was arrested, the newspaper reported.
Kirk, an influential ally of President Donald Trump who co-founded the leading conservative student group Turning Point USA, was killed by a single rifle shot last Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, 65km from Salt Lake City.
Robinson is expected to be formally charged today, when he is scheduled to make an initial court appearance.
Patel told Fox News that DNA matching that of the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was found on a towel that was wrapped around the rifle believed to be the murder weapon and on a screwdriver found on the rooftop from where authorities say the shooter fired.
Robinson has not co-operated with authorities, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Sunday, but investigators have been interviewing his friends and family in an effort to determine the motive for the shooting.
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