A Utah man is facing charges after allegedly faking a confession to the high-profile killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, complicating the investigation as police hunted for the real suspect. Authorities say George Zinn, 71, was arrested on suspicion of obstructing justice after he loudly claimed responsibility for the killing moments after it happened, shouting, "I shot him—now shoot me," per the Guardian. The incident circulated widely online, initially leading some to believe police had quickly nabbed the shooter. The man ultimately arrested in Kirk's shooting following a two-day manhunt even discussed police detaining "some crazy old dude" in alleged messages to a roommate.
Police say Zinn later admitted he was not involved in the killing and did not know the real shooter, but claimed he wanted to deflect attention from the actual suspect and become "a martyr" for Kirk. While in custody, Zinn was reluctant to let investigators access his phone, allegedly telling officers it contained child sexual abuse images—something a search reportedly confirmed, leading to additional charges of sexual exploitation of minors. Zinn has a criminal history in Utah, including a 2013 arrest for allegedly offering to help set up bombs at a marathon in Salt Lake City shortly after the Boston Marathon bombing. The Salt Lake Tribune describes him as "politically conservative" and a regular at political events. He is currently being held without bail.
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