Provo, Utah ,September 17(HS):
A 71-year-old Utah man, George Zinn, who was briefly detained shortly after the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, gave a false confession to the killing in an attempt to help the actual shooter escape, authorities confirmed. Utah County Sheriff Michael Smith stated that Zinn admitted to law enforcement that he deliberately shouted, I shot him—now shoot me, to divert police attention away from the real perpetrator.
Zinn’s disruptive act led to confusion and resource diversion during the critical early investigation phase following Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University on September 10. Sheriff Smith emphasized that there is currently no evidence linking Zinn to collusion with the shooter, Tyler Robinson, who stands as the prime suspect and has been charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder.
Court documents reveal that Zinn refused to cooperate with police inquiries about the weapon’s location and was later found to be in possession of child sexual abuse materials—more than 20 explicit images of minors were discovered on his phone. He now faces multiple felony charges, including obstruction of justice and sexual exploitation of children. A judge has ordered Zinn held without bail, citing him as a substantial danger to the community.
Zinn is known locally for frequently attending public events with the intention to disrupt or challenge speakers, having a history of minor offenses and arrests. His false confession came as an unexpected and dramatic hurdle to investigators working to swiftly apprehend the true shooter.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested after a 33-hour manhunt and faces severe charges related to Kirk’s targeted killing. Kirk, a prominent conservative media figure and ally to President Donald Trump, was shot while addressing students. The killing has sent shockwaves across political circles and the nation, prompting expressions of grief and demands for justice.
Authorities continue the investigation with a focus on bringing full accountability in this high-profile political assassination case .
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
