Family's move to turn in Charlie Kirk suspect Tyler Robinson was 'extraordinary', says behavior expert

OREM, UTAH: The family of the 22-year-old man suspected of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk played an “almost unheard of” role in helping authorities capture him, a behavior expert told Fox News Digital.

Officials said Tyler Robinson was identified and turned in with the help of his own relatives, a decision one expert described as "extraordinary and difficult."

Family’s moral stand in turning suspect over to police

Susan Constantine, a human behavior specialist who focuses on threat assessment, called the family’s action “a moral compass” and said it could serve as a model for other families confronting signs of radicalization.

During a news conference on Friday, September 12, Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed Robinson’s arrest as the suspect in Kirk’s killing during his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

“A family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident,” Cox said.

Investigators said Robinson’s relatives had noticed his growing political extremism. “The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10, and in that conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU. They talked about why they didn't like him and the viewpoints that he had,” Cox added.

Sources said that Robinson’s father played a direct role in persuading him to surrender. President Donald Trump also recounted on 'Fox & Friends' that a minister and a US marshal helped the family convince the 22-year-old to turn himself in.

Constantine said the decision likely came after serious deliberation. “It’s almost unheard of, but they did what was right and took someone, even though it was a son, that was unsafe to make the citizens in that community safer,” she said.

Expert calls family's decision ‘extraordinary’ and ‘difficult’

“Life is never going to be the same for them,” Susan Constantine told Fox News Digital. “The fact that they stood up, did what was right, even as difficult as it was – their own son, their own blood, to think that their own blood was capable of carrying out such a heinous act. It has got to be a weight that none of us could ever imagine on our shoulders.”

She added, “Parents are now being held responsible… if they knew, if they had any idea, they had to come forward to protect themselves, too.”

Constantine, who has advised on FBI cases, said the case underscores how families can be pivotal in preventing violence.

With Robinson now in custody, authorities are examining what motivated the alleged gunman. Officials confirmed to Fox News Digital that the rifle believed to have been used in the assassination contained ammunition inscribed with antifascist messaging.

“There are roots to this evil,” Constantine warned. “They are using them as puppets to carry out the worst act in the entire world, which is to kill, steal, and destroy perfectly good human beings that stand for good.”

She also described her own daughter’s brush with radical ideology, warning how quickly young people can be drawn into extremism. “These kids don’t always come from broken homes,” she said. “They come from great families and once they get their hooks into wherever they got it from, generally more from the social media, the social contagion, they can be radicalized very quickly.”

Pre-threat analysis could help avert future violence

Susan Constantine urged schools and law enforcement to adopt “pre-bang” training, spotting dangerous demeanor before violence erupts. “They’ve analyzed the language of known serial killers, arsonists, and mass murderers, and found that there was a consistent type of language found in them,” she said.

She emphasized that investigators typically begin with interviews and move to interrogations to extract information. “The death penalty is on the table and somebody is going to be held accountable for it,” Constantine said.

As the investigation continues, youth leaders and conservatives have mourned Kirk as a “Godfather of campus conservatism.”

Constantine said the Turning Point USA founder had a rare ability to bridge divides. “He wasn’t doing anything wrong. He was the right person for the job. And he was the right voice to be able to speak truth into youth and to open up the dialogue and not to condemn them, but to bring them closer to Christ,” she mentioned.