Police say a 71-year-old Utah man falsely confessed to assassinating conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in an attempt to distract law enforcement and protect the actual shooter.
Shortly after Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University, George Zinn approached officers and claimed responsibility for the attack, demanding they kill him on the spot. “I shot him, now shoot me,” Zinn allegedly yelled, according to court documents filed Monday. Officers quickly detained Zinn and escorted him to a patrol car, but began to suspect he was not telling the truth.
Investigators later confirmed that Zinn had no connection to the fatal shooting and charged him with second-degree obstruction of justice. In an affidavit, one officer wrote that Zinn admitted to lying about his involvement because he “wanted to be a martyr for the person who was shot” and hoped to “draw attention from the real shooter.”
NEW: The 71-year-old audience member who was arrested at Charlie Kirk’s UVU event says he told cops he shot Kirk to distract police so the real shooter could escape.
“I shot him, now shoot me,” George Zinn allegedly said immediately after Kirk was shot.
While speaking to… pic.twitter.com/2JiwWXKgR3
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 16, 2025
After arriving at the police station, Zinn asked for an attorney and was informed by officers that he was not believed to be the actual shooter. “At that point he advised I am already going to be in trouble for saying I shot him. Even if I did not,” the officer noted. Police ended the questioning shortly after.
Zinn was later hospitalized for an undisclosed medical issue after being booked. He has a lengthy history of legal troubles and is known in the Salt Lake City area for disruptive behavior at political events. In 2013, Zinn threatened to place bombs at the finish line of the Salt Lake City marathon and received probation through a plea deal. He was later jailed for violating the terms of his release. In 2019, he was arrested again after a protest turned violent.
Meanwhile, the actual suspect in Kirk’s murder, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, is facing an aggravated murder charge and is set to appear in court Tuesday. Authorities say Robinson was radicalized by far-left ideology and shot Kirk from the roof of a building adjacent to the event. A rifle wrapped in a towel was found in nearby woods, and DNA evidence tied Robinson to the crime.
Officials say Robinson had expressed hostility toward Kirk in the days leading up to the attack, and even confessed to the shooting in a private online message just hours before he was arrested.
