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Stone. George, Utah – After Charlie Kirk The defendant killer allegedly admitted in a discord chat, and legal experts say others in the group are unlikely to face charges unless investigators find evidence of active participation.
Suspicion Tyler Robinson posted in a discord group hours before his arrest, writing: “Hello everyone, I have bad news for you… I was at UVU yesterday… I’m sorry for that.”
this The FBI is reviewing It is believed that Robinson posted a discord chat.
On Monday, FBI Director Kash Patel said some people think agents can immediately access the group chat to see who is involved. In fact, dozens of users were in the room, he said.
FBI Director Kash Patel reveals details about Kirk Assassin’s text
FBI Director Kash Patel said on September 16, 2025 that the FBI is investigating the news released by alleged Charlie Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson in a discord. (Chip somodevilla)
“We have to go out with a search warrant so that if the prosecutor wants to use this evidence later, it will not be contaminated by illegal access,” he said. Patel says. “We are the FBI that is conducting an investigation… on the Discord chat group. There are a lot of people who will talk to it.”
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo). urged Patel on Tuesday to try to identify possible accomplices or people who might encourage Robinson.
“So, in terms of our interrogation perspective, we go to contact families and communities immediately. We have investigated and interrogated local law enforcement and we continue to do so because the closest people to the suspect will know the most about the suspect and his beliefs and his ideology,” Patel said. “The most important thing is, unfortunately, there is a discordant chat. For those who are unfamiliar, this is the online game chat room where the suspects participate.”
What is discord? Message delivery platform is popular among gamers investigated by Charlie Kirk
The booking photo of Tyler Robinson, 22, is a suspected Utah suspect, founder of the U.S. turning point. (Utah Governor Spencer Cox)
“So what we are doing – and have been done – not only serves legal proceedings in terms of discord, so that the information we collect can be maintained and retained in the proof posture, if we decide to do so, we can use it in the prosecution, and we will also investigate anyone involved in that discord chat,” Patel continued. ”
Hawley then asked about the public report, suggesting that the discord thread has as many as 20 users.
“It’s much more than that, we’re going to fall them all,” Patel said.
Charlie Kirk’s so-called shooter does not work with the Utah government. Cox says
The Apple iPhone 11 smartphone on the screen comes with the Discord software application logo. （Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images）
Legal scholar It is not a crime to assume that only seeing or ignoring confessions online is only a matter of viewing.
“Seeing people admit that crime is not a crime. It’s not [a] Crime does nothing. You can see or hear someone say, “Yes, I murdered someone” and just ignore it. Eugene Volokh, an emeritus professor at the UCLA School of Law and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
Former federal prosecutor Andy McCarthy told Fox and Friends that chat users can only prosecute if they participate in or agree to the program.
“Looking at these specific chats, it seems to me like… it’s an afterthought admittance from someone crime In fact, he had arranged for surrender. ” he said.
Trump praises FBI Director Kash Patel for quick capture of Charlie Kirk Assassin
Tyler Robinson, 22, shows in an undated photo on his mother’s Facebook page. Police named Robinson the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk. (Amber Robinson via Facebook via Amber Robinson)
McCarthy added: “So if you look at people who are in the chat, as potential criminal defendants.
He noted that in some cases, people under obvious threats may be legally obliged to remind police. But he said that in this case, the threshold has not been reached.
Volokh added that the law requires what is needed for a silent or passive existence in the chat room.
“There must be something other than simply hearing confession without taking any action,” he said. “Simply praising the person’s crime, both in general and for a person, is not punishable because it won’t solicit any new crime. But if you say, ‘This is a list of other people you should kill, it may in principle be a solicitation of opinions on future crimes.”
Although Discord is a relatively new platform, Volokh noted that the law applies to old forms of communication.
“The communication technology with people has been around for at least tens of thousands of years, and in this case, the legal principles of American law are almost the same, regardless of technology,” he said.
Tyler Robinson actually appeared in Utah court on September 16, 2025, facing alleged charges of Charlie Kirk. (Utah Court)
Fox News contacted a report from the Washington Post, which Robinson admitted to Kirk’s shooting shortly after it was handed in, and the company said the report was accurate.
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Discord confirmed Robinson’s account was on his platform, but said he had no plans to conduct an attack there.
“Disharmony identified an account belonging to the suspect during the investigation. We have not found or received any evidence that the suspect planned the incident to disharmony or promote disharmonious violence,” Disharmonious spokesperson explain. “The messages quoted in the report on weapons search and planning details are not dissonant messages and are likely to occur on a telephone-based messaging platform. We will continue to work closely with the FBI and local authorities and will continue to respond promptly to their aid requests.”
