False confession delays Charlie Kirk assassination investigation: police

A Utah man seen being led away in handcuffs after Charlie Kirk’s assassination has been charged after police say he distracted authorities in the minutes after the shooting by falsely claiming he was the perpetrator. 

George Zinn, 71, sparked confusion in the moments after gunshots rang out on Utah Valley University’s campus last week when police said he approached an officer and yelled, “I shot him, now shoot me,” according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox News.

Zinn was also hit with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after he let authorities search his phone and told them that he uses his phone to view child sex abuse material, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said.

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Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk arrives to speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally at Thomas & Mack Center, Oct. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

After Kirk was shot and Zinn claimed to be the shooter, according to the document, the officer did not observe Zinn carrying a weapon, but ultimately arrested him after he yelled, “I shot him, now shoot me,” again. 

When asked where his weapon was hidden, Zinn allegedly refused to tell the officer, who performed a search and was still unable to locate a gun. 

According to police, Zinn continued to claim that he shot Kirk as he was being led away in handcuffs, while telling the officer to “just shoot him.” 

His arrest led to confusion in the crucial minutes immediately following the shooting, with videos of Zinn being taken away in handcuffs circulating online with false claims that the perpetrator had been captured. 

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As campus reopened for UVU students seeking mental health resources and employees returning to work, memorials filled the grass outside campus.  (Deirdre Heavey for Fox News Digital)

Once Zinn arrived at the police department, he reportedly walked back his admission that he shot Kirk and asked for an attorney. While being questioned by authorities, who relayed to Zinn that they did not believe he was the real shooter, he allegedly admitted to making the false claims to “to draw attention from the real shooter.” 

Zinn was subsequently transported to a local hospital to receive medical attention, where he later added he “wanted to be a martyr for the person who was shot,” police said. 

As a result of Zinn’s distracting comments, Utah police said the investigation into Kirk’s assassination was delayed as law enforcement wasted resources needed to search for the real shooter, authorities said. 

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Charlie Kirk speaks at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025 in Orem, Utah, prior to the assassination. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

Nearly 33 hours after the shooting, police arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with Kirk’s death. He is set to appear in court on Tuesday to face charges. 

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Upon being taken into custody, authorities performed a search of Zinn’s phone, which allegedly revealed images of child pornography, according to police. Zinn was subsequently taken into custody and booked into the Utah County Jail on four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of obstruction of justice, according to authorities. 

The Utah County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate an attorney for Zinn.