Charlie Kirk's Alleged Assassin Was Afraid of Being Shot Before Violent Act, Sheriff Reveals

Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer was terrified of what might happen once police closed in, according to authorities.

Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby revealed in a press conference on Wednesday, September 16, that a former law enforcement friend tipped him off about the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. The caller said Robinson admitted he feared being shot during a SWAT raid.

"Tyler knew it was just inevitable with all the law enforcement pressure that he, his picture in the news, the gun, the gun on the news," Brooksby explained. "He knew it was inevitable that he would be caught."

Brooksby said the call came in at 8:02 p.m. on Thursday, September 11, just one day after Kirk was killed.

"So he said, ‘Hey, I know who Charlie Kirk’s shooter is. I know the family through religious association, and he's in Washington County now. And we're working to get him to come in voluntarily,'" Brooksby continued.

During that conversation, Brooksby learned Robinson might have been suicidal and was headed toward a remote area of the county. His parents eventually convinced him not to go through with it and promised they would stand by him if he agreed to surrender.

Robinson asked for a "peaceful, gentle" arrest, and Brooksby honored the request to ensure his cooperation. When he finally turned himself in, the suspect was described as “quiet and somber.”

Brooksby said his office did not question Robinson while waiting for lead investigators to arrive.

Meanwhile, attention has also turned to Robinson’s partner, Lance Twiggs.

According to a relative, Twiggs had been living with Robinson in a townhouse for about a year. The relative claimed that he had grown increasingly “angry” over the past couple of years, saying, "He hates conservatives and Christians. He hated us. He was not raised that way, but he, over the years, has become really detached [and] been radicalized."

For now, Twiggs is in a “safe space very far away from St. George,” the Utah town where he and Robinson lived. Brooksby said outside agencies are working to speak with Twiggs’ associates, warning, "They need to lay low for a long time."

Robinson’s mother has also spoken out about her son’s dramatic changes in recent years.

Once a promising student with a college scholarship and a bright future, she said he became increasingly political, embracing progressive causes like “pro-gay and trans rights.”

She noted in court documents that Robinson often clashed with his father over their opposing views. When Kirk’s Utah Valley University event came up, Robinson reportedly called it “stupid” and said Kirk “spreads too much hate.”

Prosecutors now argue political hatred was at the core of Robinson’s motive, claiming he targeted Kirk “because of his political expression.”