A political activist, who made a misguided confession regarding the shooting of Charlie Kirk at a conservative event, told authorities he intended to “divert attention from the actual shooter.” This comes from recent reports.
Court documents indicate that George Zinn, a 71-year-old, often dubbed a “gadfly,” was apprehended at Utah Valley University after the incident last Wednesday. During questioning, he claimed he wished to distract the police from the real perpetrator, according to local reports.
Following the shooting, Zinn reportedly approached law enforcement saying, “I shot him, I just shot him,” despite being armed and taken into custody.
In subsequent interviews, Zinn recanted his admission of guilt, explaining that his goal was to create a diversion to “get attention from the actual shooter,” as noted in the documents reviewed.
The man, who was later taken to a hospital for health reasons, made some unusual statements, expressing desires to “be a martial artist for those who were shot dead,” reflecting his disjointed thought process.
Authorities stated that Zinn’s initial claims hampered the investigation into Kirk’s murder and unnecessarily diverted police resources during a crucial time.
He faces a charge of obstructing justice, which is classified as a second felony.
Videos captured in the chaotic moments post-assassination show Zinn’s trousers down around his ankles as police apprehended him.
An officer remarked on the confusion surrounding Zinn’s claims, stating, “He said he shot him, but I don’t know,” adding to the puzzlement of the scene.
Images of Zinn quickly circulated online, leading many to believe that this elderly man was the one who shot Kirk, right at the scene of the crime.
Zinn is somewhat of a local character — known for appearing at various political gatherings and has often been removed from events due to prior arrests for trespassing. His reputation includes an array of strange behavioral patterns.
One official commented on his pervasive presence at political events, asserting, “Nearly every political event you could think of, George was somewhere in the background.”
While he has displayed odd tendencies, his past includes a serious incident in 2013 where he threatened to bomb the Salt Lake City Marathon, resulting in a year spent addressing the aftereffects of that event.
Currently, there’s no evidence suggesting he has any connection to Tyler Robinson, the individual arrested shortly after the incident on the advice of his father. Investigators are also exploring potential “support networks” that may have been involved with others related to the event.
