Who is Tyler Robinson, the suspect in custody for shooting Charlie Kirk?

The man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, a Utah native who had been living with his parents “for a long time”, authorities said.

Robinson was taken into custody on 12 September after a family member recognised him in surveillance images, a development investigators described as pivotal in ending a nationwide manhunt.

That family member was apparently Robinson’s father, who encouraged him to turn himself in, the BBC’s US partner CBS News has reported, citing two law enforcement sources. The father then reportedly contacted a family friend who informed the sheriff’s office.

At a press briefing on Friday announcing the arrest, FBI officials declined to discuss Robinson’s background, political leanings, or possible motive, saying the investigation was ongoing.

“We are confident we have the right individual in custody,” an FBI spokesperson said, “but we are still working to establish the full picture of who he is and why he acted.”

Utah Governor Spencer Cox said a family member interviewed by investigators stated that Robinson had become “more political” in recent years.

The relative also said that during a dinner conversation before the attack, Robinson had stated Kirk “was full of hate and spreading hate” and mentioned Kirk’s upcoming event at Utah Valley University, according to Cox.

“They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had,” Cox said referring to the conversation.

Public records reviewed by the BBC suggest Robinson had in the past registered as an unaffiliated, or nonpartisan, voter in Utah. Matthew Carl Robinson, the suspect’s father, and Amber Denise Robinson, the suspect’s mother, are registered Republicans, according to state records.

Robinson was not enrolled at UVU, the site of the shooting.

In a statement, the Utah Board of Higher Education said Tyler James Robinson was a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship programme at Dixie Technical College.

“He previously spent one semester at Utah State University in 2021 and earned concurrent enrolment credits through Utah Tech University while in high school between 2019 and 2021,” it added.

Social media accounts indicate Robinson’s father runs a kitchen countertop and cabinet installation business, while his mother is a social worker. The family is Mormon and active in the local church.

Investigators say Robinson was steeped in online culture, pointing to inscriptions on shell casings linked to the case.

Two casings displayed apparent references to online trolling humour. The inscription “notices bulges OwO what’s this?” on a fired shell casing may refer to a “copypasta” – a piece of text that is repeated over and over again, often to troll people online. Another casing, that was unfired, was inscribed with the words “If you read this, you are gay lmao” – again an apparent reference to a trolling joke.

Meanwhile, other casings could be interpreted as sympathetic to Antifa, or the anti-fascist movement, a loose collection of far-left activists who have been active in the US over the last decade and often demonstrate against Trump policies and far-right groups.

One unfired casing had the words “Hey fascist! Catch!” and an up, right and three down arrows.

The three down arrows alone could be a common symbol used for anti-fascism. As a whole, the arrows could reference a sequence of control inputs in a video game – although this remains unclear, and authorities have not yet released images of the casings.

A second casing was inscribed with lyrics to the song “Bella Ciao” that honours World War Two-era partisans of the Italian resistance who fought Nazi Germany.

Authorities said Robinson also appeared to have been active on Discord, the social media platform primarily used by gamers, but now also popular with other communities.

His roommate reportedly showed investigators a series of messages on Discord from a contact named “Tyler” referencing a rifle “drop point” and instructions about retrieving and hiding the weapon.

Discord later issued a statement saying his account had been suspended. “We have removed the suspect’s account for violating our off-platform behavior policy,” it said.

For now, Robinson remains in custody as prosecutors prepare formal charges.

The investigation into his background, motives, and potential affiliations continues in what officials are calling one of the most significant political killings in recent US history.