Utah Governor Spencer Cox disclosed during a press conference that Tyler Robinson’s roommate provided investigators with screenshots of a Discord chat, revealing communications about the shooting. The messages included Robinson describing his need to retrieve a gun from a drop site and acknowledging the weapon and scope were “unique,” implying awareness they could be traced back to him. The roommate reportedly dismissed the conversation as a joke, failing to grasp its seriousness.
On September 11, a family member of Robinson contacted a friend who alerted Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigators about Robinson’s alleged confession. The information was shared with Utah County authorities and the FBI. Surveillance footage from Utah Valley University (UVU) showed Robinson arriving on campus in a gray Dodge Challenger on September 10, wearing attire consistent with his appearance during interviews with investigators.
A family member confirmed Robinson had grown more politically active, discussing opposition to Charlie Kirk’s visit to UVU and labeling him as “full of hate.” Investigators identified Robinson’s roommate, who showed investigators Discord messages between Robinson and another contact named Tyler. The chat included references to retrieving a rifle from a drop site, leaving it in a bush, monitoring the area, and wrapping the weapon in a towel. Messages also mentioned engraving bullets and a unique rifle scope.
Investigators discovered a bolt-action Mauser 98 rifle, wrapped in a dark towel, near UVU campus. Bullet casings found with the weapon bore engravings such as “Notices, bulges,” “WHAT’S THIS?”, “Hey, fascist!”, and humorous phrases like “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”
