Charlie Kirk murder suspect appeared to confess to killing on Discord, company says

Just hours before Tyler Robinson was arrested for allegedly killing 
conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the 22-year-old appeared to take 
responsibility for the shooting in a message to friends on the chat 
platform Discord, a company spokesperson confirmed to CBS News on Monday.

"Hey guys, I have bad news for you all," read a message from an account 
that allegedly belonged to Robinson, according to the spokesperson and a 
law enforcement source. "It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of 
this." 

The messages were first reported by The Washington Post.

The messages came toward the end of a nearly two-day-long manhunt after 
Kirk was fatally shot during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on 
Wednesday. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Robinson confessed to his father. 
Robinson was taken into custody late Thursday night, FBI Director Kash 
Patel said Friday. 

Over the preceding day, Patel ordered the release of half a dozen 
surveillance photos of the suspected shooter and asked the public for help 
solving the case, which drew nationwide attention and sparked new worries 
about the specter of political violence.

While the FBI looked for leads, according to two law enforcement sources, 
Robinson and his friends bantered about the shooting in a more than 20-
person group on Discord. The platform is popular among gamers. The Discord 
spokesperson said an internal investigation by the company found "no 
evidence that the suspect planned this incident or promoted violence on 
Discord."

At least three friends asked Robinson if he was the shooter, saying the 
photos released by the FBI looked like him, the law enforcement sources 
said. He did not seem to refute it.

In one exchange, the sources said a friend appeared to tease Robinson by 
quipping that he should avoid McDonald's — where accused UnitedHealthcare 
CEO shooter Luigi Mangione was caught with a manifesto, a rifle and a fake 
ID late last year.

"Whatever you do don't go to a mcdonalds anytime soon," the friend wrote, 
according to the law enforcement sources.

The account appearing to belong to Robinson responded: "Better also get 
rid of this manifesto and exact copy rifle I have lying around."

Before the arrest, messages from the account belonging to Robinson 
appeared to suggest he planned to turn himself in to authorities, the 
Discord spokesperson confirmed.

One message read, "im surrendering through a sheriff friend in a few 
moments, thanks for all the good times and laughs, you've all been so 
amazing, thank you all for everything."

Robinson was later taken into custody on aggravated murder, obstruction 
and firearm charges.  Cox says the state will seek the death penalty. 
Robinson could make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon, after 
officials file formal charges, Christopher Ballard, chief of staff for the 
Utah County Attorney's Office, has said.

Law enforcement sources told CBS News that he was arrested after 
Robinson's father saw the FBI's images and confronted his son. Robinson 
admitted to being the person in the photos, but when his father encouraged 
him to turn himself in, Robinson said he would rather die by suicide, the 
sources said. His father then called a youth pastor to help calm Robinson 
down — but the pastor, a court security officer, also called the U.S. 
Marshals Service.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/charlie-kirk-suspect-discord-messages/