The elderly rabble-rouser who allegedly hindered Utah authorities’ response after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot is now accused of keeping “graphic” sexual photos of children on his phone, according to law enforcement.
George Zinn, 71, was charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor Monday after investigators found more than 20 images of kids as young as 5 years old, at least partially naked and “posing” in a “sexual” way, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Tuesday.
“Zinn admitted … that he gets sexual gratification from viewing and sharing [child sexual abuse material] images with others, and that his preferred victim age is 5 to 12 years old,” the agency alleged.
Zinn, who is a political “gadfly,” is also facing a charge of obstruction of justice after he allegedly admitted to screaming that he shot Kirk on a Utah college campus Wednesday in a bid to help the actual shooter get away.
He was quickly taken into custody at Utah Valley University with that detention paving the way for the child porn charges, the sheriff’s office said.
The alleged senior citizen sicko was initially hauled off to campus police headquarters, where he refused to cooperate, but was soon taken to the hospital for a medical problem, authorities said.
He ‘fessed up to not being the shooter there, and investigators successfully requested if they could take a look at his phone.
Here’s the latest on the Charlie Kirk shooting in Utah
- Police identified Tyler Robinson, 22, as the alleged assassin who fatally shot Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
- Robinson was charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice.
- Law enforcement confirmed that Robinson was living with a transgender roommate, and communications between the two helping the feds catch the alleged assassin.
- Kirk, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA creator, was attending an event on his American Comeback Tour when he was fatally shot in the neck by a single shot.
- President Trump was among many who have called for the assassin to receive the death penalty.
- Kirk’s body was brought to Arizona from Utah on Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance, and taken to Phoenix’s Hansen Mortuary Chapel.
- Kirk’s funeral, which President Trump has promised to attend, is scheduled for Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
- Kirk, a rising MAGA star, is survived by his wife and two young children.
As he handed it over, Zinn admitted to state and federal agents that he uses the electronic device to check out inappropriate images of children, the sheriff’s office said.
“Those Agents did see several images on the phone of prepubescent girls scantily dressed,” the agency said.
A search warrant was obtained Monday that led investigators to find the 20-plus illicit images and “several very graphic sexual text threads in which Zinn shared images with other parties,” according to authorities.
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Zinn is being held in county jail.
Footage of the old man being cuffed and dragged away quickly circulated online in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
He reportedly screamed “I shot him, now shoot me,” even though he was unarmed at the time of his arrest.
He later told police he wanted to cause a distraction for the real gunman, but also said he “wanted to be a martyr for the person who was shot,” according to court docs obtained by Fox 13.
Zinn’s actions stalled the probe into Kirk’s killing and wasted law enforcement resources, authorities have said.
Zinn is a familiar face locally and has gained a notorious reputation for showing up at events and often getting tossed out.
He faces numerous trespassing arrests as a result.
“Almost every political event you can think of, there was always George somewhere in the background, listening,” Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told The Salt Lake Tribune.
The charges against Zinn come as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who police believe actually shot Kirk, was hit with aggravated murder and other felony counts Tuesday.
Robinson was captured more than 30 hours after he allegedly assassinated the popular conservative commentator and married father of two.
Authorities also made clear there is no evidence Robinson and Zinn colluded during the assassination. Funeral arrangements for Kirk, 31, are set for Sunday at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
