Conservative commentator Candace Owens has escalated her ongoing pushback against the official narrative surrounding the September 10, 2025, assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, adamantly claiming that 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson did not fire the fatal shot and "wasn’t even on campus that day."
Her assertions, shared in recent videos and streams, contradict federal evidence and have fueled a wave of online conspiracy theories, with Owens labeling the investigation a "federal conspiracy" and accusing authorities of fabricating key details.
After Kirk was assassinated, authorities launched a 33-hour manhunt, arresting Robinson without incident. He faces federal charges of first-degree murder, with prosecutors citing:
- DNA evidence matching Robinson's genetic profile on the rifle's trigger (described as a World War I-era heirloom weapon he inherited).
- A handwritten note from his apartment reading, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
- Text messages to his partner, Lance Twiggs, including a confession: “I am, I’m sorry.”
- Surveillance imagery (described as "blurry" by skeptics) placing a figure matching Robinson's description near the scene.
Robinson, who maintains his innocence, was portrayed in initial media reports as suicidal and a gun enthusiast, but no trial date has been set as the FBI continues probing potential accomplices.
Owens' Bombshell Claims: "A Show to Mask the Real Shooter"
Owens first amplified her theories in late September 2025 via Instagram Stories and live streams.
She also insists Robinson "has never stepped foot on the UVU campus" and was not present on the day of the shooting. She claims a "family friend" tipped off Robinson's parents about his identification as a suspect, not a confession, and urged surrender to avoid escalation, like a SWAT raid. "All of that was just a show to mask who the real shooter was," she said in a November 18 clip. "It’s way more likely that the shooter was in the audience."
She calls reports of Robinson's suicidal tendencies and confession texts "complete fiction," alleging the federal government is "lying about absolutely everything except for the fact that it is her gun" (referring to the inherited rifle). She questions why no clear photos or videos from campus show Robinson, dismissing official images as unreliable.
In an October 19 stream, Owens cited an anonymous "tip line" photo purportedly showing Robinson at a Dairy Queen 17 minutes after the shooting (around 6:38 p.m.), arguing it disproves the official timeline.
Owens has referenced unreleased FBI door cam footage allegedly showing a woman with the gunman, whom she calls a potential "accomplice." She questions why the FBI deployed Connecticut agents to Utah and accuses them of mishandling the probe, possibly under influence from groups like the ADL (Anti-Defamation League). In a September 25 video, she interviewed an eyewitness who filmed a rooftop figure post-shooting, claiming the man held a "smaller firearm" inconsistent with Robinson's rifle and bore little resemblance to official suspect sketches. Owens suggested this points to a "tactical-gear-clad sniper" resembling a "foreign agent" firing a lightweight bullet from closer range, explaining the lack of an exit wound.
