George Zinn, a 71-year-old man who fabricated a confession to murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a gathering in Utah, disclosed to police that he did it simply to deflect attention from the actual killer, according to court documents cited by The New York Post. He was arrested shortly after Kirk was shot dead last Wednesday.
Zinn, as per reports, yelled, “I shot him, now shoot me,” before being led away by police in handcuffs.
What did George Zinn confess to authorities?
According to records obtained by Fox 13, Zinn, a self-described political agitator, acknowledged during interrogation that he had not murdered Kirk but stated that he did so in order to “draw attention from the real shooter.”
At a hospital, he subsequently told authorities that he wished to “be a martyr for the person who was shot.”
Zinn’s activities, according to police, unduly diverted police resources, caused disarray and postponed the investigation at a crucial point. Asecond-degree criminal accusation of obstruction of justice has been brought against him.
Online footage from the dramatic aftermath showed Zinn being hauled away by police as onlookers yelled at him, thinking he was the murderer.
Social media was flooded with his picture before officials made it clear he wasn’t the gunman.
George Zinn’s odd behaviour and criminal record
Locally, Zinn is referred to be a political “gadfly,” regularly showing up to demonstrations, rallies, and celebrations where he is frequently ejected for causing disturbances.
Prosecutors stated he has a lengthy history of strange behavior, including a 2013 sentence for threatening to bomb the Salt Lake City Marathon, for which he remained in jail for a year.
Sim Gill, the district attorney for Salt Lake County, who has brought many charges against him, stated, “He’s a person who can be odd, and has those kinds of sometimes odd behavior challenges.”
Gill added that “he’s more of a gadfly than anything else.”
Zinn and Tyler Robinson: Do they know each other?
There is no proof connecting Zinn to Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old who was taken into custody last week after his father reported him as the accused shooter, as per authorities. The question of whether Robinson had a “extended network” that may have helped or supported him is currently being investigated.
