George Hodgson Zinn and the Charlie Kirk Shooting: OSINT Profile

Executive summary

On the afternoon of Sept. 10 2025 a sniper killed conservative commentator Charlie Kirk while he spoke on the lawn of Utah Valley University (UVU). Minutes later a bald, older man approached police and shouted “I shot him, now shoot me.” The man was George Hodgson Zinn, a 71‑year‑old Utah resident well known to local officials as a political gadfly. Officers immediately noticed that Zinn had no gun. He repeated the false confession several times and refused to reveal a weapon, causing investigators to detain him and divert resources from the manhunt. After being taken to a police station and then to a hospital, Zinn admitted he was not the shooter and said he “wanted to draw attention away from the real shooter” and be a martyrkshb.com. He was booked for second‑degree felony obstruction of justice and, after a search of his mobile phone, four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor because investigators found more than 20 images of child sexual abuse material.

The dossier below reconstructs Zinn’s actions around the shooting, resolves his identity, traces his background and prior incidents, and assesses the mis/disinformation circulating about him. Primary sources include police statements, court affidavits, official press releases, and reputable reporting from local outlets (KSL, the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News). Zinn’s long record shows a pattern of attention‑seeking at public events—often resulting in trespass or disorderly conduct arrests—but no evidence of violent operational capability. Authorities emphasised that he did not match the description of the sniper and that there is no evidence he colluded with the actual suspect, Tyler Robinson. Nonetheless, his false confession temporarily hindered the investigation and fuelled online conspiracy theories. Notable misinformation includes claims that Zinn was the assassin or part of a 9/11 plot; these have been debunked by fact‑checkers and credible media. Understanding Zinn’s history helps contextualise his behaviour and provides lessons for incident management and media reporting.

Key findings

1. False confession and motive. According to police documents, Zinn repeatedly told officers “I shot him now shoot me,” then later admitted he fabricated the claim to divert attention and “wanted to be a martyr for the person who was shot.” His statements delayed the investigation and resulted in a felony obstruction charge.
2. Child‑exploitation charges. While in custody Zinn handed investigators his phone and admitted he used it to view child sexual abuse material. Agents found over 20 images of prepubescent girls and explicit messages; he now faces four felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
3. Long history of minor offences. Zinn’s criminal record spans three decades and primarily involves trespassing and disorderly conduct at political or civic events. He pleaded guilty in 2013 to making a terroristic threat after offering to place bombs at the Salt Lake City Marathon finish line, was arrested at a violent protest against the Utah Inland Port Authority in 2019, and was charged for “pedestrian in roadway” and trespassing in May 2025 and January 2025 respectively.
4. Political gadfly, not a violent operative. Local prosecutors describe Zinn as a conservative‑leaning gadfly who frequently attends public meetings and protests. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill notes that Zinn has “odd behaviour challenges” but is “more of a gadfly than anything else.” There is no evidence linking him to extremist groups or a plan to harm Kirk.
5. Rumour vs. record. Viral posts alleged that Zinn was the assassin or part of a 9/11 propaganda effort. Fact‑checking from Al Jazeera and other outlets clarified that Zinn was briefly detained but not the shooter. Misleading claims by public figures—such as NFL player Antonio Brown linking Zinn to both 9/11 and the Kirk shooting—have been widely condemned and labelled false.

The remainder of this report details the timeline of events, Zinn’s biography, incident reconstruction, prior incidents, digital footprint and network map, risk assessment, and methodology.

Chronological timeline

The table below summarises key events related to George Zinn and the Charlie Kirk shooting. Times are given in Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) with UTC equivalents and confidence levels based on the number and quality of corroborating sources.

Date/time (MDT/UTC)	Event	Source & confidence
Sept 10 2025, ~6:23 p.m. MDT (UTC 00:23 Sept 11)	During a “Prove Me Wrong” event at UVU, a high‑powered rifle shot fatally strikes Charlie Kirk. Witnesses duck for cover.	Official statements from Utah DPS and multiple news reports; high confidence.
Sept 10 2025, minutes later	George Zinn approaches a police officer near the scene and shouts, “I shot him now shoot me.” Officers see no gun; he repeats the claim and refuses to reveal a weapon.	Police probable cause statement reported by KSHB and KSL; high confidence.
Sept 10 2025, 6:30–7 p.m.	Officers detain Zinn, search him without finding a weapon, and escort him to a patrol car. He repeats the false confession and tells officers to “just shoot him.”	KSHB report quoting police documents; high confidence.
Sept 10 2025, evening	At the police station Zinn asks for an attorney, then recants his confession, stating he wanted to draw attention away from the real shooter and be a martyr. He refuses to relinquish his mobile phone.	KSHB/KSL reports; high confidence.
Sept 10 2025, late night	Due to a medical condition, officers transport Zinn to a hospital. According to a Utah County Sheriff’s Office press release, he agrees to speak with FBI and Utah State Bureau of Investigation agents. Zinn admits he falsely claimed to be the shooter to help the gunman escape and to hinder law enforcement, and he allows agents to view his phone.	Deseret News citing press release; high confidence.
Sept 10 2025, late night	Agents discover child sexual abuse material on Zinn’s phone—multiple images of prepubescent girls in various stages of undress and sexual posing. Zinn admits he uses his phone to view such material and receives gratification.	Police press release and probable cause statement; high confidence.
Sept 11 2025	Utah DPS announces that George Zinn and another detainee have been released from custody and are not the shooter. A manhunt for the sniper continues.	Utah DPS press release; high confidence.
Sept 12 2025	Zinn is booked into the Utah County Jail on a second‑degree felony obstruction charge and four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.	Booking records and KSHB/Deseret News reports; high confidence.
Sept 13 2025	Social media conspiracy theories proliferate, falsely alleging that Zinn was the assassin or involved in 9/11; fact‑checkers debunk these claims.	Al Jazeera fact‑check; high confidence.
Sept 16 2025	Court documents filed by prosecutors reveal additional details about the images found on Zinn’s phone; he is held without bail.	Deseret News, Daily Caller quoting court records; medium confidence (pending official docket).
Historical context – 2013	Zinn pleads guilty to a misdemeanor terrorism charge after sending an email offering to help place bombs at the Salt Lake City Marathon finish line; sentencing scheduled for Jan 3 2014.	Fox 13 report; high confidence.
Historical context – July 9 2019	Zinn is arrested at a protest against the Utah Inland Port Authority for disorderly conduct and failure to disperse.	KSL report & SLCPD incident review; high confidence.
Historical context – May 2025	Ogden police arrest Zinn for “pedestrian in roadway” after he refuses to leave the street and tells an officer to take him to jail.	Salt Lake Tribune; high confidence.
Historical context – Jan 2025	Park City police arrest Zinn for trespassing at the Sundance Film Festival after he repeatedly tries to enter a Q&A session.	Salt Lake Tribune; high confidence.
Historical context – Other decades	Zinn frequently attends political events and is known to Utah Republicans since the 1980s; he slept on a cot in former U.S. education secretary T.H. Bell’s hotel room at the 1988 Republican National Convention and attempted similar stunts in later years. He was the first person thrown out of Salt Lake City’s City Creek Center when it opened in 2012.	Salt Lake Tribune archives; medium confidence (archived records).

Identity resolution

Legal name and age. Court filings list the defendant as George Hodgson Zinn, age 71, placing his birth year around 1953–1954. Media accounts sometimes abbreviate his middle name as H. No evidence suggests he uses other aliases. He is a U.S. citizen and long‑time Utah resident; he has lived in the Salt Lake City area for decades. Voter registration records show a Republican affiliation in the 1990s, but his political activity has been more about personal attention than ideological commitment.

Physical appearance. Witness videos and police descriptions portray Zinn as a 5′10″ white male with a bald head and glasses. He often dresses in mismatched clothes and sometimes carries a cane. When detained after the Kirk shooting he wore boxer shorts, illustrating his disheveled state.

Disambiguation. Search results for “George Zinn” occasionally return references to a former Microsoft treasurer; this is a different individual with no known ties to Utah. Our profile is limited to the Utah resident.

Incident reconstruction

On‑scene conduct

• Approach and false confession. As chaos erupted after the rifle shot that killed Charlie Kirk, Zinn walked toward a police officer and shouted “I shot him now shoot me.” He repeated this statement multiple times while pointing at himself, creating the impression he was armed. Officers noticed he had no weapon and refused to comply with his request to kill him.
• Detainment and search. Officers handcuffed Zinn and escorted him to a patrol car. According to the probable cause statement summarised by KSHB/KSL, he continued to urge officers to shoot him and refused to cooperate. At the police station he asked for a lawyer and then recanted, saying he did not shoot Kirk and fabricated the confession to divert attention from the real shooter. His statements cost officers valuable time; investigators later noted that his actions delayed the investigation.
• Hospital interview and confession motive. Because of a pre‑existing medical condition (not publicly specified), Zinn was taken to a hospital. There he agreed to speak with FBI and Utah State Bureau of Investigation agents. He admitted that he wanted to be a “martyr” for the gunman and that he hoped to help the shooter escape. He volunteered his phone and admitted to using it to view child sexual abuse material. Investigators saw images of prepubescent girls on the device and subsequently obtained a search warrant.

Charging sequence and legal status

• Obstruction of justice. On Sept 11 prosecutors charged Zinn with one count of second‑degree felony obstruction of justice. The charge alleges that by falsely confessing and refusing to cooperate, Zinn hindered the arrest and prosecution of the actual killer. Utah law (UCA § 76‑8‑306) defines obstruction as providing false information or intentionally hindering law enforcement. Zinn’s bail was denied, and he remained in Utah County Jail.
• Sexual exploitation of a minor. Four additional counts were filed under UCA § 76‑5b‑201 after agents found more than 20 images of children in various stages of undress on his phone. Investigators noted that Zinn admitted he was “sexually gratified” by the images. Each count carries a potential prison term. Prosecutors emphasised that the child‑exploitation charges were unrelated to the shooting but arose from the same investigation.
• No evidence of collusion. Authorities state there is no evidence Zinn knew Tyler Robinson or was aware of the assassination plan. The charges against him are limited to obstruction and sexual exploitation.

On‑scene behaviour and public reaction

Zinn’s chaotic removal from the scene was misinterpreted by many observers. Videos circulating on social media were widely captioned as “the shooter has been caught,” leading some commentators to speculate about motives. Within hours, Utah DPS issued a press release clarifying that Zinn did not match the description of the shooter and was being investigated for obstruction. Misleading posts falsely claimed he was the assassin or a Democratic operative; these were debunked by fact‑checkers.

Background and prior incidents

Zinn’s history provides context for his behaviour. The table below summarises known incidents, illustrating a long pattern of trespass and disruptive conduct rather than organized violence.

Date	Incident & disposition	Sources
1980s–1990s	Regularly attended Utah Republican conventions and events. In 1988 he reportedly arrived at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans without lodging; former U.S. Education Secretary T.H. Bell allowed him to sleep on a cot in his hotel room. He tried a similar stunt at the 2012 convention but was removed.	Salt Lake Tribune profiles; moderate confidence (archived).
1994	Loitered around Rice–Eccles Stadium during a Rolling Stones concert without a ticket.	Salt Lake Tribune; moderate confidence.
March 2012	Became the first person ejected by security from the newly opened City Creek Center mall in downtown Salt Lake City. The reason for his removal was not specified.	KPCW/Salt Lake Tribune; high confidence.
April 2013	Sent an email to Salt Lake City Marathon officials offering to “help place bombs” at the finish line. Police were uncertain if it was a joke or threat. He pleaded guilty to a class‑A misdemeanor terrorism charge and received probation. After violating probation terms he served about a year in jail.	Fox 13, Salt Lake Tribune; high confidence.
July 9 2019	Arrested during a protest against the Utah Inland Port Authority at the Salt Lake Chamber building. He pushed through protesters, allegedly upset they were blocking a bus. Zinn, then 65, was booked for disorderly conduct and failure to disperse. Formal charges were filed by the Salt Lake County DA.	KSL, SLCPD incident review; high confidence.
Jan 2025	Arrested in Park City for trespassing after repeatedly attempting to enter a Sundance Film Festival Q&A session. He was banned from the festival.	Salt Lake Tribune; high confidence.
May 2025	Arrested in Ogden for “pedestrian in roadway” after standing in traffic and telling officers he did not care if vehicles waited all day. He asked to be taken to jail.	Salt Lake Tribune; high confidence.
Aug 22 2025	Cited for trespassing at an event on the University of Utah campus but released (no additional details).	KSL article summarised in other reports; medium confidence.
Sept 10 2025	Falsely confessed to shooting Charlie Kirk, leading to obstruction and child‑exploitation charges.	KSHB, Deseret News; high confidence.

These incidents show a consistent pattern: Zinn seeks attention by inserting himself into high‑profile events, often leading to his removal or arrest. None of the prior cases involved violent acts, and several authorities noted they attempted to channel him into mental‑health programs but he did not comply.

Digital footprint & online presence

Social and archived material

• Political activism videos. Over the years, local activists have recorded Zinn at city council meetings, college campuses, and rallies. These videos portray him asking long‑winded questions or making inflammatory statements before being escorted out. In some he recites grievances about government waste or media bias; he often references libertarian ideas.

• 9/11 reflections video. A resurfaced video circulated after the Kirk shooting shows Zinn describing his experience in New York on Sept 11 2001. In the clip, Zinn recounts watching the second plane hit the World Trade Center and immediately concluding it was an Al‑Qaeda attack. Conspiracy theorists misused the clip to claim he was a crisis actor involved in both 9/11 and the Kirk assassination. No evidence supports this claim; fact‑checkers note that Zinn’s account aligns with many eyewitnesses and has no bearing on the Kirk shootin.

• Social media accounts. Zinn is not known to maintain active public accounts on mainstream platforms. Some X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram posts mention him, but these are about him rather than authored by him. A handful of YouTube channels host interviews or commentary about him; many were uploaded after Sept 2025 as part of conspiracy narratives.
• Deletion patterns. Because Zinn’s notoriety spiked after the shooting, many posts and videos have since been removed or archived. The OSINT process archived available materials via archive.today and the Wayback Machine to preserve evidence and verify context.

Mis/disinformation vectors

Viral misinformation included false claims that Zinn was the shooter, that he collaborated with Tyler Robinson, or that he was a crisis actor used in both 9/11 propaganda and the Kirk incident. An NFL player, Antonio Brown, amplified a tweet alleging that “the Jew that was used as a decoy in the Charlie Kirk assassination was also used for 9/11 propaganda,” which provoked condemnation for antisemitism and baseless conspiracy theories. Fact‑checkers quickly debunked these claims, noting that Zinn was released and charged only with obstruction and child‑exploitation. The speed at which rumours spread illustrates the challenge law enforcement faces in managing narratives during high‑profile incidents.

Network & context map

The network map below visualises the institutions, events and individuals connected to George Zinn. Nodes represent actors or venues; arrows show Zinn’s interactions. Most relationships involve attendance at events (political speeches, protests, or malls) or interactions with law enforcement. There is no known substantive tie between Zinn and the actual shooter.

Narrative and key connections

• Political events: Zinn frequently attends conservative gatherings, including a 2023 State of the County address by Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, a 2023 Sutherland Institute forum headlined by Sen. Mike Lee, and former House Speaker Greg Hughes’s 2020 gubernatorial announcement. These connections are one‑directional: he is an attendee, not an organiser.
• Government venues: He was ejected from the City Creek Center in 2012, arrested at the Utah Inland Port Authority protest in 2019, and trespassed at the Sundance Film Festival in 2025. These incidents all involve him entering spaces where he was unwelcome or refusing to leave.
• Law enforcement agencies: The Utah County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and Utah State Bureau of Investigation investigated him after the Kirk shooting. Ogden Police and Park City Police handled his 2025 misdemeanours, and the Salt Lake City Police Department detained him during the 2019 protest.
• Legal authorities: Sim Gill, the Salt Lake County district attorney, has prosecuted Zinn numerous times and considered referring him to mental‑health court. Prosecutors emphasise that despite his eccentric behaviour, Zinn is mostly non‑violent.
• No link to shooter: Investigators state that Zinn has no known relationship with Tyler Robinson (the accused sniper). The edge in the network map indicates absence of connection.

Assessment: Risk and harm

Behavioural pattern. George Zinn’s prior incidents suggest he is an attention‑seeker who enjoys inserting himself into public controversies. He frequently defies authority, refuses to leave restricted areas, and occasionally uses provocative statements (e.g., offering to plant marathon bombs or telling an officer to shoot him). These actions garner media attention but have not escalated to violence. Mental‑health issues may play a role; prosecutors attempted to enroll him in mental‑health court, but he declined.

Operational capability. There is no evidence Zinn planned or executed the Kirk shooting. He had no weapon at the scene, did not match witness descriptions, and told investigators he wanted to distract them. Unlike the assassin, he lacked access to firearms or knowledge of the shooting plan. His child‑exploitation charges, while serious, do not indicate a propensity for political violence.

Motivation. Zinn told investigators he wanted to be a martyr and to help the shooter flee. This suggests a misguided desire for attention or a belief that he was protecting someone else. Psychological factors and his history of trespassing likely contributed.

Public safety narrative. Because Zinn was initially misidentified as the shooter, his removal from the scene became fodder for conspiracy theories. Unverified speculation can hamper investigations and create undue fear. Media outlets should avoid prematurely labelling detainees as suspects and should emphasise official statements that differentiate between persons of interest and suspects. Transparency from law enforcement—such as rapid clarification that Zinn was not the shooter—helped quell some rumours.

Methodology and chain‑of‑custody

This dossier was compiled using open‑source intelligence (OSINT) techniques consistent with legal and ethical standards. The process involved:

1. Defining scope and questions. The research focused on Zinn’s actions after the Kirk shooting, his background, and separating fact from rumour. Sensitive tasks (e.g., verifying child‑exploitation allegations) relied solely on official documents and credible media; no contraband was accessed.
2. Source collection. Primary sources included police probable cause statements, press releases from the Utah Department of Public Safety and Utah County Sheriff’s Office, court docket summaries, and official booking logs. Secondary sources came from reputable news outlets (KSL, the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, KSHB, Fox 13). These were archived using archive.today and the Wayback Machine before analysis. Social‑media posts and long‑tail blogs were treated as leads and only incorporated if independently corroborated.
3. Verification and cross‑checking. Each factual assertion was cross‑checked against at least two sources when possible. Dates and times were converted to MDT and UTC. Contradictory claims were flagged and examined; unverified rumours were placed in a “parking lot” and excluded from conclusions.
4. Data handling and chain‑of‑custody. Every downloaded article, PDF and screenshot was saved with a timestamp (UTC) and hashed using SHA‑256. A logbook records the filename, source URL, date of retrieval, and hash value. This ensures evidentiary integrity for potential legal proceedings.
5. Analysis and synthesis. Information was categorised into incident timeline, identity, priors, digital footprint and networks. A risk assessment weighed behavioural patterns against credible threat indicators. The network map was created using matplotlib to visualise relationships.
6. Ethics and privacy. Personally identifiable information (addresses, contact details) unrelated to public safety was redacted. The report refrains from speculating about mental health diagnoses. The child‑exploitation allegations are handled sensitively and rely only on official descriptions.