Orem, Utah — Suspect joked on Discord about FBI photos after Charlie Kirk shooting

OREM, Utah — A 22-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk joked in a private Discord group on Thursday that the person shown in newly released FBI images was his “doppelganger,” according to a report.

According to the New York Times, activity in Tyler Robinson’s Discord chat surged after the FBI released blurry photos of a slim, college-age man in dark clothing while searching for Charlie Kirk’s shooter. One member tagged Robinson with the images and wrote “wya” (short for “where you at?”) with a skull emoji. Less than a minute later, Robinson replied that the person in the photos was a look-alike trying to “get me in trouble,” the report said.

In the 20-person chat, one participant suggested turning Robinson in to claim a \$100,000 FBI reward. Robinson responded, “Only if I get a cut,” using an avatar of John Arbuckle, the owner of the comic character Garfield, according to the report. Another member advised, “Whatever you do, don’t go to a mcdonalds anytime soon,” a reference to a separate high-profile arrest; Robinson agreed and joked that he “better also get rid of this manifesto and exact copy rifle I have lying around,” the report said. He further wrote that the shooter was “CLEARLY” from California and mocked the investigation, referencing “trans” markings reported on ammunition and suggesting they were fabricated by “some dude in the briefing room,” the outlet reported.

Investigators found shell casings with messages at Utah Valley University, including one that said, “Hey fascist! catch!” They also located an imported .30-06 Mauser bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel in nearby woods, about 200 yards from where the shots were fired, the report said.

Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder, was shot once in the neck on Wednesday while seated under a pop-up tent and speaking to thousands during the first stop of his “American Comeback Tour,” the report said.

Robinson later turned himself in Thursday night in southwestern Utah—more than a three-hour drive from the Orem campus—after being confronted by his father and after speaking with a youth minister, according to law enforcement sources cited in the report. Following his arrest, members of the Discord group expressed disbelief that he was the suspect; one participant noted that officials want him to face the death penalty, the outlet reported.