DNA found where Charlie Kirk’s assassin hid has been matched to suspect Tyler Robinson, FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday. Writings showed he planned to “take out” the conservative debater, and investigators are examining whether the plot was known in advance.
Patel said DNA linking Robinson, 22, was recovered from a towel that covered the murder weapon when it was discarded and from a screwdriver found in the sniper’s nest on a roof. “I can report today that the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA from the screwdriver are positively processed for the suspect in custody,” Patel said.
Further DNA found on the bolt-action hunting rifle believed to have been used in last Wednesday’s shooting is still being analyzed to determine its links to Robinson, the FBI director said.
Patel stated that Robinson also wrote a note saying that he had an opportunity to “take out Charlie Kirk” and that he was “going to take it.” “His family has collectively told investigators that he subscribed to left-wing ideology and even more so in these last couple of years,” Patel said, and authorities have seen evidence of a “text message exchange” between Robinson and a second individual. Patel said Robinson is not cooperating with authorities.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said there appeared to be multiple warning signs before the assassination. “There were people, friends and family in his network who had stated he had become more political, like the ideology had infected him and taken over. He was just intent, it appears, from the data we accumulated and the channel and that note … that his target was obviously going to be Charlie and people knew in advance,” Bongino said. “The question is — did they know for sure, or did they just write it off? That’s what we’re finding out now. This investigation has just begun, this is not even the beginning of the beginning.”
