Kirk murder suspect apprehended – Tyler Robinson’s mugshot published (PHOTO)

The FBI has released photographs of the suspected assassin of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk, following his arrest.

The suspect was identified by Utah Governor Spencer Cox as Tyler Robinson, a young native of the state and a student at the university where Kirk was shot.

A “family friend” turned the suspected assassin into the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday evening, after a family member told them Robinson had “confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident,” Cox said at a press conference on Friday.

According to AP, Robinson’s father had recognized his son in the images released by the FBI and convinced him to turn himself in with the help of a youth pastor. He refused at first but then changed his mind, the outlet cited a source in the investigation as saying.

“I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson who did the right thing in this case and were able to bring him in to law enforcement,” Cox said.

“In the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU (Utah Valley University). They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had. The family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate,” the governor added.

Investigators also found out that the suspect had told his roommate via Discord messages that he needed “to retrieve a rifle from a drop point,” Cox said. Other messages pertained to Robinson carrying out reconnaissance of the area, leaving the rifle in a bush wrapped in a towel, and engraving the ammunition, he added.

The three unfired cartridges found at the scene were inscribed with the words “Hey Fascist! Catch!” followed by a series of arrow symbols, “Oh Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Ciao Ciao,” as well as “if you read this, you are gay, LMAO,” according to Cox.

Kirk, 31, was shot in the throat mid-speech in an amphitheater at UVU on Wednesday, and later succumbed to his wounds in hospital. The conservative youth activist and father of two built his brand on engaging his political opponents in debate.

Officials have described the killing as a targeted political assassination.