The profile of the 22-year-old alleged killer arrested by US authorities on Thursday night is emerging.

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The man on the run for the prime suspect in Charlie Kirk's murder ended Thursday night. Tyler Robinson, 22, suspected of being the shooter, was arrested in the southern US state of Utah after 10 p.m., about 260 miles (420 kilometers) from the campus where the influential conservative was shot in the neck.

The first grainy images from CCTV cameras showed a frail figure with a beardless face. Aside from his black clothes, Converse sneakers, a blue cap pulled over his head, and sunglasses, the individual was barely recognizable, prompting the federal police to ask for the public's help by widely releasing all available images.

At a joint press conference Friday, state and FBI officials said the young man was arrested near his family home in the small Washington County community. According to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a family member told a family friend that Tyler Robinson had "confessed or implied" that he had committed the murder. The friend then reported the incident to local authorities.

The suspect had become politicized

According to his mother's prolific Facebook posts about her children, which were quickly deleted, Tyler Robinson was the eldest of three boys. He attended school in the southern Utah county before pursuing an engineering degree at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

In one video, Tyler Robinson can be seen reading aloud a letter offering him a four-year scholarship to Utah State University. Another post noted that he scored 34 on the national college entrance exam (ACT), placing him in the top 1% of applicants. However, Robinson only briefly attended Utah State University in Logan, for one semester in 2021. The reasons for his departure were not disclosed.

According to Spencer Cox, family members told investigators that Tyler Robinson had become more political "in recent years." At a recent dinner, he even mentioned Charlie Kirk's visit to Utah Valley University for one of his "Prove Me Wrong" events, where the influential conservative invited his opponents to debate him. He was also registered to vote, but was not affiliated with any political party, according to voter records.

Robinson's roommate also reportedly told authorities he received messages on Discord about a rifle "wrapped in a towel" to be recovered. Investigators did indeed find a .30-06 Mauser rifle in a wooded area north of campus on Thursday, wrapped in a "dark-colored towel," the governor said. "It had a scope mounted on it," he said, adding that at least three unfired cartridges bearing anti-fascist writing were found. Messages such as "Hey, fascist! Get it!" and "If you're reading this, you're gay, LMAO" (an acronym for "laughing my ass off") were among the engravings, Cox said.

Shooter's Journey

According to the investigation revealed by the governor, CCTV footage shows the alleged shooter arriving at the university where Charlie Kirk was shot at around 8:20 a.m. on Wednesday, September 10, shortly before the shooting. A relative reportedly confirmed that Tyler Robinson owns such a vehicle. Once on the roof from which he fired, the young man changed clothes, before putting his original outfit back on at a time that authorities could not determine.

In at least one Facebook post by his mother, one of the suspect's younger brothers is seen practicing with high-caliber firearms. Utah is one of the most permissive U.S. states when it comes to firearms regulations. However, none of the posts mention political beliefs, and instead focus on family events such as graduations, school plays, or vacations to Alaska, the Caribbean, or Disneyland.

While the investigation is still ongoing, authorities have stated that they do not have "information that could lead to another arrest," the Utah governor also indicated. The young man has, in any case, left behind numerous clues and physical evidence of his whereabouts.

"I want to thank the public who were so involved in watching the videos, who helped us by providing information and who allowed us to get to this point," said Spencer Cox, also specifically thanking Tyler Robinson's family members "who made the right decision in this case." As of Thursday evening, after more than 24 hours of manhunt, the investigation was stalling. The FBI had then widely solicited the public's help by releasing photos and videos of the suspect and promising a reward of $100,000 for any vital information.