A man was detained after he reportedly admitted to shooting Charlie Kirk, having mistakenly thought he was actually targeting Kirk. This individual, George Zinn, 71, has a history of unusual run-ins with the law, stretching back to the 1980s, and was noted for being somewhat of a political oddity.
Zinn had been captured on video shortly after Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. He is known locally for frequently attending political events, often causing disturbances that result in his removal.
“He seems to pop up at nearly every political gathering. It’s like he’s always lurking in the background,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Simgill in a conversation with the Salt Lake Tribune.
Zinn is known for creating confusion, often engaging in protests that many view as misguided. His viewpoints tend to lean toward conservative and libertarian ideals.
“He can be a little eccentric; his behavior raises some eyebrows. But I think he’s more of a gadfly than anything else,” Gill remarked.
When the news broke that Kirk had been shot, Zinn’s name began trending on social media amid the chaos.
“He claimed he shot him, but it’s hard to say,” one officer mentioned to onlookers, noting the confusion surrounding Zinn’s claims.
While police later clarified that Zinn wasn’t a suspect in Kirk’s case, he was still charged with obstruction.
This arrest is just the latest in a series of bizarre incidents involving Zinn; last October, he was taken into custody in Ogden for refusing to leave the street.
“He said he didn’t mind waiting in the street all day long. I told him he had to clear the way for traffic. He didn’t care and said he’d rather go to jail,” the arresting officer reported.
Zinn has faced multiple trespassing charges mostly for obstructing public events like film festivals and political protests.
His most notorious arrest dates back to 2013 when he threatened to bomb the Salt Lake City Marathon, resulting in a year’s imprisonment.
Zinn’s comments and actions following Kirk’s shooting appear to be yet another chapter in a long and strange saga of behavior.
Following the shooting, another individual was also apprehended. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the person responsible for Kirk’s death is in custody, although the actual gunman managed to remain at large for over 24 hours after the incident.
