DNA evidence from the scene of Charlie Kirk’s killing has been matched to 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Monday. Robinson was arrested last Thursday following a 33-hour manhunt and is expected to face formal murder charges later this week.
Kirk, a conservative influencer and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot once in the neck with a sniper rifle while speaking at a Utah university campus on Wednesday.
Patel said DNA from a towel wrapped around the firearm and a screwdriver recovered from the scene matched Robinson. “The DNA hits are positively processed for the suspect in custody,” he said on Fox News.
The FBI director also cited a note written by Robinson before the shooting, stating he intended to target Kirk. Forensic evidence of a note left at the suspect’s family home was also recovered, despite the original being destroyed.
Kirk, 31 and a father of two, built a large following on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, promoting conservative political views and often sharing edited clips of his college debates.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Robinson had connections to a transgender roommate and held “leftist ideology.” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino noted the suspect showed warning signs of political radicalization prior to the attack.
The incident has drawn significant political attention. President Donald Trump plans to attend a memorial service in Arizona on Sunday, and Vice President JD Vance hosted Kirk’s podcast on Monday.
Patel defended his initial handling of the case, after prematurely announcing a suspect had been arrested and then released hours later. He will testify before Congress on Tuesday.
Authorities continue to investigate Robinson’s motive and any potential links to extremist ideologies.
