The day after Charlie Kirk was killed, acquaintances of Tyler Robinson are said to have began circulating FBI surveillance images that appeared to resemble him.
The FBI had released two images of a thin young man in sunglasses and a cap walking inside a stairwell at Utah Valley University.
The agency asked the public to help identify the suspect.
In a group chat on Discord, a messaging platform, one acquaintance tagged Robinson, attaching the images with the caption “wya” and a skull emoji.
The implication was that Robinson looked like the individual in the photos.
Robinson responded quickly, claiming the man in the images was his “doppelganger” and that the look-alike was trying to “get me in trouble.”
Another user in the group chat wrote, “Tyler killed Charlie!!!!”
The comment appeared to be made jokingly, per reports.
At the time of these exchanges, it was early Thursday afternoon, approximately 34 hours after the shooting that took Kirk’s life.
That same night, Robinson, 22, was arrested on suspicion of carrying out the assassination.
The Discord messages, later shared with The New York Times, gave insight into Robinson’s behavior and attitude after the attack.
The screenshots were provided by a high school acquaintance who said he had not seen Robinson in person for years.
The acquaintance requested anonymity due to fear of harassment.
The Times verified that the acquaintance had attended high school with Robinson and confirmed their association.
While Discord would not confirm Robinson’s username, the account matched other online profiles linked to him.
Prosecutors are expected to formally charge Robinson on Tuesday, according to the outlet.
It remains unclear whether he has retained legal representation.
Investigators noted in an affidavit that Robinson had discussed Kirk’s upcoming Utah event with a family member.
The affidavit states that Robinson and the relative spoke about reasons they disliked Kirk.
Those who knew Robinson described him as intelligent and deeply engaged with current events, often spending long hours online or gaming.
Public records show he was registered to vote but unaffiliated with any party and had not voted in past elections. His parents are registered Republicans, Resist the Mainstream previously reported.
The Times further noted that in the Discord chat, other users joked about the FBI’s $100,000 reward offer, suggesting Robinson could be turned in.
Robinson responded, “Only if I get a cut.”
Participants also referenced high-profile arrests, including one suspect captured at a McDonald’s in New York City.
Robinson replied with what he presented as a joke, saying, “better also get rid of this manifesto and exact copy rifle I have lying around.”
The suspect also joked that Kirk’s killing could lead to President Trump deploying the National Guard to Utah.
“In a red state??? nah CLEARLY the shooter was from california,” he wrote.
Robinson’s Discord avatar featured Jon Arbuckle, the owner from the Garfield comic, with a bewildered expression. At one point, Robinson posted: “I’m actually Charlie Kirk, wanted to get outta politics so I faked my death, now I can live out my dream life in kansas.”
