Tyler Robinson with his father (Photo via X)
Tyler Robinson reportedly made a chilling statement to his father before turning himself in, having become a person of interest following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk.
Robinson, 22, drove to a police station and surrendered to the authorities. He is understood to have confessed to his dad or implied he was the shooter, although his grandmother is adamant the police have the wrong man.
According to TMZ, Tyler told his father he would prefer taking his own life than surrender. As a result, he’s currently being evaluated by jailhouse staff in a special housing unit, where he’s under 24/7 surveillance.
“We don’t know if he’s made any comments which could indicate he’s considering suicide in jail … though law enforcement sources told us earlier Friday that Tyler allegedly indicated to his father he’d rather die by suicide than turn himself in to police,” TMZ reports.
Tyler Robinson Under “Special Watch”
The outlet cites a spokesperson for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant Raymond Ormond, who revealed the 22-year-old is under “special watch” while mental health professionals assess the possibility of suicide.
Robinson was arrested this Friday but hasn’t been formally charged, with Kirk’s killing still being investigated. He is facing charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a weapon causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice.
Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking to students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injury. The activist was only 31.