The man accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk confessed to killing the right-wing activist in a message to his roommate, prosecutors have alleged, as they announced seven charges against him.
Tyler Robinson, 22, left a note under a keyboard for his roommate to discover, said Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray. He added that the roommate was Mr Robinson's romantic partner.
According to Mr Gray, the note said: I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I'm going to take it.
The prosecutor also shared text messages between the roommates, including one in which the defendant allegedly said he shot Kirk because he had had enough of his hatred.
The suspect is being held without bail in a special housing unit at the Utah County Jail. He made his first court appearance on Tuesday, appearing remotely as prosecutors read the seven charges against him.
They include aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent crime when children are present.
They also indicated they would seek the death penalty over the shooting of Kirk, who was killed by a single gunshot fired from a rooftop as he was speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Robinson, arrested after a 33-hour manhunt, has not entered a plea or confessed to police. However, he faces trial by jury and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Mr Gray had unveiled a trove of evidence at a news conference on Tuesday, including the defendant's alleged confession and DNA found on the trigger of the rifle suspected to have been used in the crime.
Describing the note at a news conference, Mr Gray said Mr Robinson sent a text message to his roommate reading: Drop what you're doing, look under my keyboard. The roommate, upon discovering the confession, responded in disbelief.
According to investigations, Mr Robinson's parents had become suspicious and confronted him about his involvement. Following a series of conversations filled with insinuations of guilt, he eventually surrendered to the police.
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that Kirk's outspoken views may have played a role in Robinson's alleged motives, with references to Kirk's hatred being highlighted in their conversations.
Additionally, prosecutors revealed that Robinson had not only confessed to a shooting but also instructed his partner to delete messages, compounding charges of witness tampering.
As this highly publicized case unfolds, it raises further questions about the interplay of politics, violence, and social divisions in contemporary America.
