Washington: The man who falsely claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at the Utah Valley University last Wednesday (September 10), has been charged with obstruction of justice.
George Zinn, 71, reportedly shouted, "I shot him, now shoot me," moments after the assassination, only to later admit that he had not committed the crime.
'Wanted To Distract From Real Shooter'
According to reports, investigators revealed that Zinn told police during interrogation that he was attempting to divert attention away from the actual shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. Court documents reveal that Zinn said he "wanted to cause a distraction to draw attention from the real shooter."
Zinn was initially taken into custody in handcuffs from the university campus and later transferred to a local hospital due to an existing medical condition. While there, he reportedly told investigators that he "wanted to be a martyr for the person who was shot."
Authorities have now charged Zinn with obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.
Known "Gadfly" with History of Disruption
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill described Zinn as a familiar figure in Utah’s public and political spaces. "Almost every political event you can think of, there was always George somewhere in the background, listening. He's a person who can be odd, and has those kinds of sometimes odd behaviour challenges. But by and large, he's more of a gadfly than anything else," Gill said.
Zinn has a long history of trespassing arrests at events including film festivals, political rallies and protests. In 2013, he served a year in prison for threatening to bomb the Salt Lake City Marathon, according to reports.
Meanwhile, Robinson remains in custody and is facing multiple charges including felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. Prosecutors say Robinson directed his partner to delete text messages and instructed them to remain silent if questioned by police.
