The man who was initially detained following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last week, falsely told police that he was responsible for the murder, allegedly to help the real killer escape.
Police charged George Zinn, 71, with second-degree felony obstruction of justice. He is being held without bail.
According to a probable cause statement, moments after the shooting, Zinn approached a police officer and started yelling, "I shot him, now shoot me."
The officer found no weapon on Zinn when he took him into custody. When questioned about the gun's location, Zinn refused to answer. He continued to claim he was responsible for the shooting as he was escorted to a patrol car.
When he arrived at the police station, Zinn informed officers that he wanted an attorney, ending any further attempt to question him. He eventually told police that he was not the shooter but confessed to draw attention away from the gunman.
At one point, Zinn was taken to the hospital for an unspecified medical condition. While he was being examined, he told officers he was glad he confessed because it would help the real perpetrator escape. He also told officers that he wanted to be a martyr for Kirk.
After he was released from the hospital, Zinn was booked into the Utah County jail. On Monday, a judge ordered him held without bail.
On Friday, law enforcement announced they had arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with Kirk’s murder.
Zinn is well known in Utah political circles and has a long history of run-ins with law enforcement.
The Daily Mail reports that Zinn has been criminally charged at least 25 times. In 2013, he was charged with threatening to plant explosives at the finish line of the Salt Lake City marathon. That resulted in probation and an order to undergo mental health treatment.
