The search for Charlie Kirk’s killer didn’t just make people angry; it also ignited a race for a reward that swelled to more than $1.1 million.
People are all asking the same big question: Can that money go to the suspect’s family?
With help from a Trump advisor
Kirk, 31, was shot and died on September 10 while talking to students at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.
Initially, the FBI offered $100,000 for information that would help them find the shooter. That number went up quickly when Alex Bruesewitz, a Trump adviser, gave $25,000. Then, conservative activist Robby Starbuck matched it, and billionaire investor Bill Ackman gave a staggering $1 million.
That made the total prize money around $1.15 million.
Who wins the $1.2 million prize?
Tyler Robinson, 22, who is presumed to be the shooter, was apprehended in a quiet suburban area where many people support President Donald Trump. This is the same Trump that was friends with Charlie Kirk.
Robinson’s family was Republican and lived in St. George, Utah, which is a small town about three hours from Utah Valley University, where Kirk was shot and died.
We don’t know what drove him get in his car, drive for hours across the state, and shoot Kirk in the head. People who lived nearby and went to school with him are still in disbelief. They remember him as a brilliant, nice young man.
Reports from the beginning suggest that Robinson turned himself in to the police on Thursday night. Some reports say that the shooter’s father recognized him when the FBI released his pictures to the public. Then the father told a friend, who phoned the cops.
What Bill Ackman thinks
Once Robinson was named as the suspect, speculations spread quickly online. Can his father get the $1.2 million reward for helping to turn him in?
Bill Ackman, a billionaire who promised $1 million to the bounty, talked about the rumors directly in a post on X.
“Many folks have called me and written about their concerns that Tyler Robinson’s father would obtain a $1.2 million bounty for turning him in. This makes me think of several things.
Ackman claimed that rewards can’t be different for different people because
“First, rewards have to be given out even if the person who gets them is a criminal or worse in order for them to work to catch criminals.” If Tyler’s father is found to have been involved or to have acted negligently in causing Charlie’s death, civil or criminal charges will take away any unfair compensation.
In short, they qualify if the family is innocent. If not, they’re done.
Can you check to see if his dad made the call?
Ackman went even further and talked about rumors that Robinson’s family doesn’t even want the money.
“Yes, we will give the reward to the person the FBI says gave them the information that led to Tyler’s arrest.” I always keep my word.
But this is when things start to get complicated. Earlier police reports indicated that a family friend, not Robinson’s father, called the police.
According to the report, on the night of September 11, 2025, a family member of Tyler Robinson called a family friend, who then called the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to tell that Robinson had either confessed to them or hinted that he had done the crime. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office and UVU scene investigators got this information. This information was also sent to the FBI.
There are a lot of disagreements about who should get the $1.2 million. Should a parent or even a close friend of the family get a reward for turning in someone they love? Or should their family ties stop them from getting money?
