A Utah man who falsely claimed responsibility for the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is now facing unrelated but serious federal charges involving child sexual exploitation.
Authorities said 71-year-old George Hodgson Zinn was taken into custody on September 10 after the chaos that followed the shooting at Utah Valley University. Kirk was struck in the neck while answering audience questions, sparking panic in the venue.
In the immediate aftermath, Zinn told police he was the gunman. Officers detained him, but investigators later determined he was not connected to the attack. During processing, Zinn reportedly complained of chest pains and was transported to a local hospital.
According to court documents, FBI agents interviewed Zinn at the hospital and questioned him about the contents of his phone. Officials say he admitted to using the device to view illegal material involving minors. A forensic review of his phone allegedly uncovered multiple images of child sexual abuse.
Federal prosecutors have since charged Zinn with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He is being held without bail.
Meanwhile, investigators identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the actual suspect in the Kirk shooting. Robinson was later arrested and is currently in custody on charges connected to the attack.
The investigation into both cases remains ongoing.
