Utah County officials released charging documents on Tuesday that detail how Tyler Robinson, accused of killing Charlie Kirk, sent messages to his roommate on the day of the shooting. In those texts, he reportedly mentioned his rifle, possible reason for the attack, and details of his attack plan.
The roommate later told police about a handwritten note Robinson had hidden under a keyboard, according to CNN. The note stated that Robinson had the chance to target Charlie Kirk and intended to go through with it. Investigators have said that they also recovered a photograph of this note.
Court filings also describe the roommate as a biological male who was romantically involved with Robinson. According to the documents, the roommate shared their text conversations with police. Robinson himself had sent a message pointing the roommate to the note, which started the exchange later recorded in the charging documents.
Text exchange between Kirk suspect shooter Tyler Robinson and his roommate
According to the documents, Robinson instructed his roommate to look under his keyboard, where a note was found saying he planned to target Charlie Kirk. “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” he said. The roommate in disbelief answered, “”What?????????????? You’re joking, right????”
In a series of messages afterward, Robinson reassured his roommate, who he also addressed as his “love”, that he was safe, but admitted that he still needed to retrieve his rifle. He added he had wanted to keep the plan secret for life but apologised for involving the roommate.
When asked if he was the shooter, Robinson confessed, explaining that police had initially detained the wrong people and that he had been unable to collect his weapon due to lockdowns in the area. When pressed about his motive, Robinson responded by saying, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
‘Planning attack for over a week’: Tyler Robinson in text message confession to roommate
Robinson said he had been planning the attack for about a week and was trying to retrieve a rifle he had left hidden, but feared police had searched the area. “If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence. Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it,” he said.
He admitted leaving the gun wrapped in a towel and worrying about fingerprints and how he would explain losing his grandfather’s gun to his father, who the messages showed is a staunch supporter of former President Trump and had asked for photos of the rifle because it is distinctive.
“I’m wishing I had circled back and grabbed it as soon as I got to my vehicle…. I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpas rifle … idek if it had a serial number, but it wouldn’t trace to me. I worry about prints I had to leave it in a bush where I changed outfits. didn’t have the ability or time to bring it with…. I might have to abandon it and hope they don’t find prints. how the [expletive] will I explain losing it to my old man….” Tyler wrote.
Robinson told the roommate he might turn himself in and noted a neighbor was a deputy, while also pleading with the roommate not to speak to the media and to ask for a lawyer if police questioned them.
“Im gonna turn myself in willingly, one of my neighbors here is a deputy for the sheriff,” he wrote.
Through the exchange he expressed regret for involving the roommate and said the roommate’s safety was his main concern. “you are all I worry about love.. don’t talk to the media please. don’t take any interviews or make any comments. … if any police ask you questions ask for a lawyer and stay silent,” he wrote to the roommate.
BBC released this entire thread of the conversation that was recorded between Tyler and his roommate on the day of shooting Charlie Kirk.