Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspected of shooting dead right wing political influencer Charlie Kirk last week, is currently being held in a Special Housing Unit as he undergoes an evaluation by jailhouse staff.
According to TMZ, citing Utah County Sheriff’s Spokesperson Sergeant Raymond Ormond, Robinson has been placed under what’s known as “Special Watch”. This is until such a time as mental health professionals are satisfied they have an answer to whether or not he’s a danger to himself or others.
Robinson was taken into custody on Friday, almost two days after popular right wing talking head Charlie Kirk was shot dead at Utah Valley University. Kirk was speaking on September 10 at the first stop of his American Comeback tour with Turning Point USA, the organisation he cofounded.
Sitting in a tent before a crowd of an estimated 3,000 people, Kirk was answering a question on mass shootings in the US when a single gunshot rang out. The gathered audience erupted in panic as Kirk was struck in the neck by a bullet fired from a nearby rooftop.
Experts weighing in on the matter have speculated the passionate voice of right wing US politics was dead in a matter of seconds, though he was officially declared dead 90 minutes after the shooting, having been rushed to hospital.
A manhunt immediately got underway, one people the world over were keen to follow online. On Friday, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was taken into custody after reportedly having been convinced by his father to turn himself in.
At the time of writing – at least according to TMZ – Robinson is currently residing in Special Housing, where staff at his jail can keep an eye on him every 15 minutes.
This will continue until such a time as authorities can be sure he’s not a danger to himself or anyone else.
The idea that he might attempt to die by suicide is not backed up by any evidence authorities have released to the general public, but on Friday law enforcement sources reportedly told TMZ that Tyler had indicated to his father that he’d rather that eventuality than turn himself in to police.
Ultimately he did indeed agree to hand himself in, but not before having implied to family members that he was the suspect who had shot Kirk dead.
Robinson was booked on Friday on charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a weapon causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice. He has not yet been formally charged.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox went on record during the search for Kirk’s killer to confirm that prosecutors would be seeking the death penalty for the individual who fired the fateful shot last Wednesday.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, told Fox News during an interview Friday that he hoped the person found guilty for Kirk’s assassination was handed the death penalty.
