In a stunning turn of events, the FBI acted swiftly and arrested Tyler Robinson, 22, just 33 hours after he allegedly shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Agents captured Robinson in his hometown of Washington, Utah. He allegedly fired the shot from a rooftop on the campus of Utah Valley University. President Donald Trump praised FBI Director Kash Patel for the bureau’s swift work. Trump stated, “Kash and everyone else they have done a great job.”
The FBI began its hunt with little more than a few blurry images. Despite that, the manhunt moved at record speed. Officials detailed the investigation timeline and emphasized Patel’s direct involvement from start to finish.
On the morning of September 10, witnesses spotted Robinson near the campus between 8:28 and 9:34 a.m., reportedly conducting surveillance. By 11:52 a.m., he returned, climbed the Losee building’s exterior stairwell, and reached the rooftop by 12:22 p.m. One minute later, he allegedly fired the shot that killed Kirk.
Moments after the shooting, Robinson climbed down, fled into a wooded area, and disappeared. Authorities later found the rifle identified as a Mauser 30.06 hidden in those same woods.
By the evening of September 11, local FBI agents had secured the scene. Patel arrived around 5:30 p.m., personally overseeing every detail. He retraced the suspect’s path, even standing on the rooftop and walking through the wooded escape route.
Patel ordered that all evidence be quickly processed and sent directly to FBI labs. Unlike typical procedures, he arranged a private plane to carry critical items including fingerprints and DNA samples—to Quantico.
One law enforcement source said, “The director stayed through the night while experts analyzed the DNA.” The source added that Patel personally pushed the labs to act without delay. His bold decisions, including publicly releasing suspect footage against standard recommendations, played a key role in the arrest.
Thanks to the rapid FBI response, the suspect was caught swiftly. Investigators say that Patel’s leadership directly led to the efficient capture of Robinson. Officials and citizens alike continue to applaud the rapid FBI response in this high-profile case.
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