A Utah sheriff detailed his shock after learning that the suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk had turned up in his community, and he pushed back on rumors about his office’s role in the arrest.
Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby explained on Wednesday that his office has had limited involvement in the case of 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson. Brooksby said Robinson turned himself in at the sheriff’s office last week, but emphasized that his deputies were only assisting until lead investigators arrived.
Brooksby also quashed rumors circulating on social media, including claims that Robinson’s father is a deputy who personally handcuffed his son. He called those assertions “completely false,” noting there is a retired deputy with the same name as Robinson’s father who has been harassed as a result. He also dismissed speculation that local Latter-day Saint church leaders were involved in the surrender, saying the family’s bishop had “no involvement whatsoever.”
The sheriff recounted how he first learned Robinson was preparing to surrender. Around 8 p.m. last Thursday, Brooksby said he received a call from a retired detective who told him he knew the suspect and was with Robinson’s family in Washington County.
"I couldn't fathom what actually came out of his mouth," Brooksby said.
The former detective, a family friend, said Robinson wanted to avoid a SWAT encounter at his home or his parents’ home and feared being shot. Brooksby then contacted Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith as arrangements were made for Robinson to turn himself in peacefully.
"He was shocked as I was to hear the news," Brooksby said.
The retired detective eventually drove Robinson and his parents to the sheriff’s office, where they waited about two and a half hours until investigators arrived. Robinson was kept in an interview room, not handcuffed, and given water, Brooksby said.
"To have the suspect be a Utah resident who literally went to the same high school I went to," Brooksby said, "It's a double shock factor ... the suspect happened to be a homegrown Washington County boy."
The sheriff applauded the way his former detective — the Robinsons' family friend — handled everything.
"Outstanding. He deserves full credit," he said. "Tyler's family trusted this individual. They knew he was involved in law enforcement at some point, and enough community involvement there that they trusted that they could go to this individual and he could contact me directly, and that we could facilitate a peaceful, calm, relaxed surrender."
What led to Robinson turning himself in
According to charging documents, Robinson's mother said she saw the photo of the suspected shooter in the news on Thursday and thought it looked like him. She showed her husband (Robinson's father), who agreed. She said she called Robinson to ask him where he was, and he said he was at home sick, and had been home sick on Wednesday as well.
Robinson's father also said he thought the photo of the suspected murder weapon looked like a rifle he had given to Robinson as a gift. He then asked Robinson to send him a photo of the rifle, but Robinson didn't respond. He then talked on the phone with Robinson, who "implied" that he was planning to take his own life. His parents then convinced him to meet up at their home in Washington City.
Court documents say that in the conversation with his parents, Robinson "implied" that he had shot Kirk. They urged him to speak with a family friend who was a retired deputy, who then helped convince Robinson to turn himself in.
