When chaos erupted after the shocking death of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, police and bystanders thought they had the shooter in custody almost immediately. A 71-year-old man named George Zinn stepped forward, yelling that he was responsible and demanding police “shoot me.” For a brief moment, everyone believed they had their suspect. But according to newly released court documents, Zinn had not fired a single shot—instead, he admitted he was trying to divert attention away from the real killer.
Authorities say Zinn, a well-known political activist with a history of disruptive behavior at public events, confessed that his false claim was meant to “draw attention away from the real shooter.” Investigators now believe his actions cost them valuable time during the most critical moments of the manhunt. He was arrested and later charged with obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony. Videos from the scene showed him being dragged away in handcuffs as the crowd shouted at him, unaware he had nothing to do with the actual shooting.
Court records describe Zinn as a “gadfly” who has a long history of erratic stunts at political gatherings, film festivals, and protests—sometimes resulting in arrests. In 2013, he even served jail time for making bomb threats against the Salt Lake City Marathon. Prosecutors and community members say he is known more for odd behavior than violence, but this time, his interference directly impacted a high-profile murder investigation. Officials stressed that his actions complicated an already tense situation, forcing officers to divert focus when every second mattered.
Meanwhile, attention remains on 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who police say is the actual suspect in Kirk’s killing. Robinson was captured after 33 hours on the run, eventually persuaded by his father to surrender. Authorities revealed text messages in which Robinson allegedly bragged about having the chance to “take out Charlie Kirk,” as well as DNA evidence linking him to the weapon. While Robinson remains under “special watch” in jail pending a mental health evaluation, his family has been cooperating with investigators. Officials say the case against him is growing stronger, even as the bizarre distraction caused by Zinn’s false confession continues to raise questions about how such chaos unfolded in the aftermath of the attack.