FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that the bureau is investigating more than 20 people connected to an online Discord chat with Charlie Kirk murder suspect Tyler Robinson, confirming the chat’s existence, which had been leaked, and that it is now part of an active federal investigation.
Patel made the disclosure during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in response to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who pressed the FBI chief about efforts to identify others who may have encouraged or known in advance about the attack on Kirk during a Utah Valley University event.
“So in terms of what we do from an interrogation perspective, we go and reach out to the family and community immediately,” Patel said. “And we’ve conducted those investigations and interrogations with local law enforcement … On top of that, unfortunately, it has been leaked that there was a Discord chat. And for those unfamiliar with it, it’s a gaming chat room online that the suspect participated in.”
Patel said the FBI had already served a legal process on Discord and was preserving chat content in a prosecutable format. “We’re also going to be investigating anyone and everyone involved in that Discord chat,” he said.
While Patel did not reference any specific message or confession from Robinson, the Washington Post reported Monday that the 22-year-old suspect appeared to admit guilt in the chat shortly before his arrest. “It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of this,” read a message reportedly sent from Robinson’s account on Thursday night, about two hours before he turned himself in.
In response to Hawley’s question about the number of individuals involved, Patel said, “It’s a lot more than [20], and we’re running them all down.” The Washington Post reported that the Discord group contained around 30 people, though the FBI has not confirmed that number.
A Discord spokesperson told the Washington Examiner that the company is cooperating with investigators but did not verify the reported confession.
“During our investigation, Discord identified an account belonging to the suspect,” the company said. “We have not found or received any evidence that the suspect planned this incident on Discord or promoted violence on Discord. The messages referenced in reporting about weapon retrieval and planning details were not Discord messages, and likely took place on a phone-number based messaging platform.”
The shooting of Kirk, a prominent conservative activist, has fueled political outrage and sparked concerns about the rise of ideological violence.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) said Sunday that Robinson appeared to hold a “leftist ideology.” Officials said one of Robinson’s family members helped alert authorities after the suspect implied involvement in the killing.
Patel later said during the committee hearing that the FBI is still “mapping out” whether anyone acted as an accomplice or had any “foreknowledge” of the assassination plans.
Members of the Discord group reportedly reacted in real time to Kirk’s assassination before Robinson’s alleged admission the next day. In a follow-up message, Robinson allegedly wrote, “Thanks for all the good times and laughs. You’ve all been so amazing.”
Charges against Robinson are expected to be filed Tuesday morning, with Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray scheduled to announce the case at a news conference later in the day. Robinson, who was arrested last week on suspicion of aggravated murder and other felonies, is also set to make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.