Crime
Suspect In Charlie Kirk Assassination Identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson
OREM, Utah — Federal and state law enforcement officials have confirmed the arrest of Tyler Robinson, 22, in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Robinson was taken into custody late Thursday night near St. George, Utah, approximately 250 miles southwest of the UVU campus where Kirk was killed.
According to investigators, Robinson allegedly confessed to his father that he was responsible for the shooting. His father immediately contacted authorities, secured his son, and waited until law enforcement arrived to take him into custody.
The arrest reportedly occurred around 11:00 p.m. local time.
At a press conference Thursday night, officials confirmed that Robinson will face capital charges and could face the death penalty if convicted.
Law enforcement sources report that a Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle was recovered in a wooded area near the UVU campus.
The weapon was wrapped in a towel, and forensic teams discovered a spent cartridge in the chamber alongside three live rounds in the magazine. Notably, investigators said the cartridges were engraved with phrases referencing transgender and antifascist ideology.
The rifle and ammunition are now in FBI custody for DNA and fingerprint analysis, with additional testing planned by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators shows a man dressed in all black and carrying what appeared to be a concealed rifle walking toward the UVU campus on Wednesday morning.
Video timestamped 11:49 a.m. shows the individual moving with a noticeable hobble just blocks from the university. Investigators believe the weapon may have been hidden under his clothing.
By 11:52 a.m., FBI officials said the suspect had reached the campus. Additional footage captured a man running through a neighborhood backyard in the aftermath of the shooting, as students evacuated calmly in the opposite direction.
According to investigators, the shooter fired a single round from the rooftop of an adjacent building into the crowded outdoor courtyard where Kirk was addressing approximately 3,000 attendees during his “Prove Me Wrong” debate event. The suspect was then seen fleeing the scene on foot.
The investigation is being jointly led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS), in coordination with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, and local police departments. The ATF is assisting with firearms analysis.
Authorities confirmed that several individuals were previously detained or questioned based on eyewitness accounts and video footage, including George Zinn (charged separately with obstruction) and Zachariah Qureshi (released after interrogation). Neither is currently believed to be connected to the shooting.
Officials emphasized that the attack appears to have been targeted, though no formal motive has been released.
The FBI has established a digital media tip line at fbi.gov/UtahValleyShooting and continues to ask the public for assistance.
The assassination has drawn swift condemnation from elected officials across the political spectrum. President Donald Trump paid tribute to Kirk, calling him “a great patriot and friend.”
The White House confirmed that Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance will accompany Kirk’s body aboard Air Force Two to his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.
Utah officials urged calm and encouraged anyone in need of support to call 988, the state’s mental health crisis hotline.
“This is a tragic moment for Utah and for our country,” said a spokesperson for the Utah Department of Public Safety. “We are committed to bringing full justice in this case.”
Crime
Christopher Scholtes pleaded guilty in hot car death of two-year-old Parker Scholtes in Marana
MARANA, ARIZONA — A Tucson-area father accused of leaving his two-year-old daughter to die in a sweltering vehicle while he drank alcohol and watched pornography has accepted a plea deal to avoid a first-degree murder trial.
Christopher Scholtes, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning in Pima County Superior Court to second-degree murder with a domestic violence enhancement and child abuse.
Under the terms of the agreement, Scholtes will serve a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 30 years in state prison.
He will remain out of custody for two additional weeks before beginning his sentence later this month.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office said the plea provides “justice for Parker and closure for the community.”
“We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors, victim advocates, and staff for their collaboration with local law enforcement on this complicated and high-profile case,” the office said in a statement. “This is yet another reminder that we will do everything possible to seek justice for victims, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”
The case stems from the death of two-year-old Parker Scholtes in Marana, Arizona, in July of last year.
According to investigators, Scholtes arrived home with Parker asleep in her car seat and decided not to wake her.
Instead, he went inside to play video games, drink beer, and watch pornography, leaving the toddler unattended in the vehicle during extreme summer heat.
Scholtes initially told police that he had left the vehicle running with the air conditioning on but lost track of time.
Investigators later determined the vehicle’s engine had shut off, and Parker remained trapped in temperatures that reached up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit inside the car.
Evidence showed she was left alone for approximately three hours, not one hour as Scholtes first claimed.
When Scholtes’ wife, Dr. Erika Scholtes, returned home from her hospital shift, she discovered Parker unresponsive inside the family’s Acura SUV.
Despite her efforts to perform CPR and the response of firefighters, Parker was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Authorities also learned through interviews that Scholtes had a history of leaving his three children unattended in vehicles for extended periods.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Erika Scholtes—an anesthesiologist—remained supportive of her husband, calling the child’s death a “tragic mistake.”
Despite the seriousness of the charges, Scholtes was released on bail shortly after his arrest.
In April, defense attorneys successfully petitioned to modify his bail conditions, allowing Scholtes to travel to Maui, Hawaii, for a family vacation from May 1 to May 9 with his wife and two surviving daughters.
The request was approved by Judge Kimberly Ortiz, despite objections from prosecutors.
Scholtes’ formal sentencing hearing is scheduled later this month, at which time he will return to custody to begin serving his prison term.