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A 71-year-old man, taken into custody following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and later freed, sought to aid the prime suspect get away by faking a confession, officials confirm.

Utah County Sheriff Michael Smith said that the individual admitted to police that he had "shouted that he was the shooter to allow the real perpetrator escape".

The main individual in the assassination is the young suspect Tyler Robinson, who seemed to recognize Mr Zinn's first apprehension after the attack, telling his roommate through a text that the police "detained some eccentric elderly man."

Mr Zinn is remaining in custody on interfering with law enforcement charges. Additionally, he has also been charged with possession of child sex abuse material.

Details on the Investigation

George Zinn was part of a pair that authorities questioned for interrogation after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University on 10 September.

Police subsequently concluded that the persons of interest were not involved in the killing.

Mr Zinn "deliberately shouted he was the shooter and by doing so, obstructed Law Enforcement from focusing on the real gunman", the sheriff stated in a statement.

Court documents filed by campus police claim that Mr Zinn began exclaiming: "I fired the weapon - now shoot me."

When interrogated by authorities where the weapon employed during the shooting was located, he allegedly responded: "That information remains with me", according to the documents.

The sheriff said that there was so far no indication Mr Zinn worked alongside the gunman.

Further Accusations

Michael Smith added that Mr Zinn is additionally detained for the abuse involving a child, and that authorities located more than 20 images of children "showing inappropriate exposure and suggestive positioning."

On Monday, a court ruled that Mr Zinn be held refused bond, labeling him a "serious threat" to the community.

It was not clear from legal documents if he was represented legally.

Past Behavior of the Accused

Mr Zinn is familiar among organizers of forums in the region. "He often attended at public forums with the intention to disrupt the event or target a well-known individual", sources indicate.

He is known for a long history of petty violations, including an arrest in 2013 for sending a threatening email to the coordinators of the Salt Lake City Marathon just days after the Boston Marathon bombing.

Case Updates

Robinson, the key individual in the homicide was formally accused on seven counts including aggravated murder, on this week.

Charlie Kirk was a well-known right-wing figures and media personalities in the US.

Famous for his outspoken views on identity, cultural topics, and Second Amendment advocacy, Kirk was a controversial individual and a strong supporter of ex-President Trump.

He was attacked while hosting an event at Utah Valley University, in what officials labeled a targeted attack. Former President Trump called Mr Kirk "a dedicated conservative" and said his killing marked a "dark moment for America".