‘Doppelganger did it’: Group chat shows suspect’s demeanor after Charlie Kirk killing; motive still unclear

The day after Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University, suspect Tyler Robinson responded to questions about his resemblance to the suspect by joking in an online group chat that his “doppelganger” was trying to get him "in trouble.” The motive of his act, however, still remains unclear.

The exchange came after the FBI released surveillance images of a man in a cap and sunglasses walking in a campus stairwell and asked the public for help identifying him. In the group chat on Discord, a messaging platform, one acquaintance tagged Robinson’s username and posted the images, adding “wya” — shorthand for “where you at”, with a skull emoji, New York Times reported. Robinson, 22, replied within a minute.


Further into the messages, Robinson joked about being turned in for the $100,000 FBI reward, saying, “Only if I get a cut.” He also quipped about needing to dispose of a “manifesto and exact copy rifle” and commented on news reports about ammunition found at the scene. At one point, he wrote, “I’m actually Charlie Kirk, wanted to get outta politics so I faked my death.”

Another user wrote, “Tyler killed Charlie!!!!”. Hours later, Robinson was arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting Kirk.

Police said Robinson walked onto the Utah Valley University campus ahead of Kirk’s event, positioned himself on a rooftop about 400 feet from the stage, and fired a single fatal shot. He later turned himself in to police in southwestern Utah after being encouraged to do so by a family member and a family friend, according to authorities.

Robinson is expected to be formally charged by local prosecutors on Tuesday.