Tyler Robinson had a rabid “obsession’’ with Charlie Kirk and vowed to “take out” the conservative influencer because he “hated” his views — boasting he had the perfect murder plan, the FBI revealed Monday.
“I think it’s pretty clear based on the statements of family members, friends and some of the messaging we have on these digital footprints left behind that [Robinson] clearly had some obsession with Charlie Kirk,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino told Fox’s “America’s Newsroom” on Monday.
”Charlie Kirk is obviously a conservative commentator,” Bongino said. “I think it’s fairly obvious to everyone out there, and there’s no need to parse words with it, that clearly this was an ideologically motivated attack.”
FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox earlier in the day that Robinson, 22, had even told someone about his heinous plot before he fatally shot Kirk, 31, with a single bullet to the neck in an appearance at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
“He had a text message exchange with another individual in which he claimed that he had an opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk — and he was going to do it because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for,” Patel told “Fox & Friends.”
It wasn’t clear when the seething suspect sent the text.
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But the accused killer — a “furry’’-obsessed trade-school student with a transitioning male-to-female partner — suggested the same murderous thought later on a physical note, Patel said.
The FBI chief did not identify who the other person was or say if there would be potential charges against them for not coming forward earlier.
“The written note, we believe, did exist, and we have evidence to show what was in that note,” Patel said.
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Robinson wrote in the note, “I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it,” according to Patel.
“That note was written before the shooting,” the FBI director said, adding that it had been found in the home Robinson shared with his boyfriend.
“We have since learned that the note, even though it has been destroyed, we have found forensic evidence of the note, and we have confirmed what that note says,” he said.
Bongino added that multiple “warning signs” regarding Robinson’s alleged radicalization appeared to have been missed — and that the feds will be subpoenaing a slew of people to see who knew what when.
“There appear to have been multiple warning signs,” Bongino said. “There were people in his network, friends and family who had stated that he had become more political, that he had become at some parts, as I believe some of his co-workers had stated, that he had kind of detached himself when the topic of politics came up and walked away from them.”
He added that data gathered by the FBI indicated that Robinson’s target “was obviously going to be Charlie [Kirk] and that people knew in advance.”
Patel said investigators have recently “learned some shocking things” from Robinson’s family and friends — including his transgender boyfriend — while also confirming that the accused killer had increasingly become more left-wing.
Damning new evidence against Robinson includes DNA recovered from a towel that covered the murder weapon when it was ditched — as well as a screwdriver found in the sniper’s nest on a roof near Kirk’s event, Patel said.
“I can report today that the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA on the screwdriver are positively processed for the suspect in custody,” Patel said.
The bolt-action hunting rifle found tossed nearby is still being tested, Patel said, teasing an impending announcement from the lab.
Patel confirmed that Robinson is not cooperating with authorities, but many of those around him — including his family — have helped with authorities’ probe.
“His family has collectively told investigators that he subscribed to left-wing ideology and even more so in these last couple of years,” he said.
Robinson remains in custody and is set to be formally charged with murder Tuesday.
Kirk, a married father of two, was slain at last week’s Turning Point USA event at the campus in Orem, which was attended by some 3,000 people.
Patel, who was close friends with Kirk, paid an emotional tribute to him at a press conference Thursday.
“Lastly, to my friend Charlie Kirk, rest now, brother. We have the watch and I’ll see you in Valhalla,” he said.
Vice President JD Vance announced he will host Charlie Kirk’s show on Monday from the White House as a personal tribute to his fallen friend.
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