It happened fast. One second, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was debating gun violence on a stage at Utah Valley University; the next, he was on the ground. People panicked. In the chaotic aftermath of that September 10, 2025 afternoon, the question on everyone's mind—from the FBI to the students who fled the scene—was about the weapon.
Honestly, the details that eventually came out were pretty surprising. This wasn't some high-tech, modern tactical weapon.
The Specific Rifle Found at UVU
So, what kind of gun did Tyler Robinson use? According to the Utah County Attorney’s Office and the FBI, the weapon recovered in a wooded area near the campus was a Mauser Model 98 bolt-action rifle, chambered in .30-06 caliber.
If that sounds like something out of a history book, that's because it basically is. The Mauser 98 is a legendary German military design that saw heavy use in both World Wars.
This specific rifle had a scope mounted on it. Investigators found it wrapped in a dark-colored towel, ditched in a bush north of Campus Drive Road. The choice of a bolt-action rifle is significant for a few reasons. Unlike a semi-automatic weapon, a bolt-action requires the shooter to manually cycle the handle to eject a spent shell and chamber a new one. It's slower. It's deliberate.
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Why This Gun Was So Hard to Trace
One of the most chilling aspects of the investigation involved how "clean" the gun was. Because it was a vintage World War-era rifle, it likely predated the 1968 Gun Control Act. That means it might not have had a serial number or any modern identifying marks that make tracing a firearm to a specific owner easy for the ATF.
Police later discovered that the rifle actually belonged to Tyler Robinson’s grandfather.
Robinson seemed to know exactly what he had. In messages sent to his roommate on Discord, he reportedly mentioned that the gun "wouldn't trace" to him. He even talked about needing to retrieve it from a "drop point" because he was worried about leaving prints behind.
The Evidence Left on the Bullets
While the gun was old, the ammunition was "personalized" in a way that investigators found incredibly revealing. Authorities recovered one spent casing and three unfired rounds.
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The inscriptions on these casings were... weird, to say the least. They weren't just random scratches; they were references to internet memes and political slogans:
- "Notices bulges OwO what's this?" (A common internet meme).
- "Hey fascist, catch!" (Accompanied by various arrow symbols).
- "Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao" (A reference to an Italian anti-fascist folk song).
- "If you read this, you are gay lmao."
These engravings, combined with the DNA found on the trigger, were what eventually tied the 22-year-old Washington, Utah resident to the scene.
A Sniper's Position
The logistics of the shooting were calculated. Robinson didn't just walk up to the stage. He took a "sniper" approach from the roof of the Losee Center for Student Success, which was about 160 yards away from where Kirk was speaking.
When police searched the roof, they found impressions in the gravel. It looked like someone had been lying in a prone position—elbows, knees, and feet marks were still visible.
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It was a single shot. Just one. The .30-06 round is a high-powered caliber typically used for big-game hunting, like deer or elk. It’s powerful enough that the single shot was fatal, striking Kirk in the neck.
What This Means for Future Security
The use of a "relic" weapon like a Mauser Model 98 highlights a major gap in modern security. Most people expect threats to come from modern, semi-automatic platforms. A century-old hunting rifle from a grandfather's closet doesn't usually top the list of concerns, yet its power and lack of a paper trail made it incredibly effective for Robinson's intent.
If you’re looking into the legal or forensic side of this, it’s a textbook case of how "untraceable" vintage firearms can complicate high-profile investigations.
Moving forward, the focus for security teams at large public events will likely shift. They aren't just looking for someone with a concealed handgun anymore; they have to account for distant vantage points and older, high-powered rifles that can be fired from nearly two football fields away.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Review the official Utah County Attorney's probable cause statement for the full list of charges against Robinson.
- Monitor upcoming court dates in Utah County, as the state has indicated they may seek the death penalty in this case.