Kirk murder suspect wrote note threatening him, tied to scene by DNA, FBI chief says

The suspect accused of assassinating right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in Utah wrote a text message before the shooting that he planned to kill Kirk, says FBI Director Kash Patel.

In an appearance on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” yesterday, Patel says investigators believe Tyler Robinson also wrote a physical note saying he had the “opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk” and would do so. The note was destroyed, Patel says, but investigators have collected forensic evidence that it had existed and confirmed its contents through interviews.

Patel does not say who had received the text message or whether anyone had seen the written note before the attack.

Robinson, 22, is expected to be formally charged today, around the same time that he makes an initial court appearance by video from his jail cell.

Prosecutors in Utah County are considering several charges against Robinson, the most serious being aggravated murder, because it could bring the death penalty if there is a conviction.

Investigators have not publicly identified a motive in the assassination. Law enforcement authorities have said they believe Robinson acted alone when he shot Kirk but are investigating whether anyone else had a role in plotting the killing. Robinson has not cooperated with authorities, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Sunday.

Separately, the Washington Post reports that Robinson had sent a message via the online gaming platform Discord to friends, apparently confessing to the crime on Thursday night, shortly before he was arrested.

“It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of this,” read a message from the account belonging to Robinson, the newspaper reports, citing two people familiar with the chat as well as screenshots it had obtained.

Kirk, an influential ally of US President Donald Trump who co-founded the leading conservative student group Turning Point USA, was killed by a single rifle shot last week during an event at Utah Valley University.

Patel also tells Fox News that DNA matching the suspect’s 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 that served as the shooter’s sniper perch.