Man who falsely claimed he killed Charlie Kirk, diverting police amid chaos, sentenced to prison

George Zinn received a harsher prison sentence after police found child sex abuse materials on his phone after arresting him at UVU

In the chaotic moments after Charlie Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University, a man approached a detective who was searching for the killer and yelled, “I shot him! Now shoot me.”

But that man, George Zinn, had nothing to do with Kirk’s death.

Now, the 71-year-old is going to prison for making the false claim, which authorities say diverted law enforcement’s attention when they were trying to find the actual shooter.

Zinn pleaded no contest on Thursday to a third-degree felony charge of obstruction of justice. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, admitting that police found child sex abuse materials on his phone when they questioned him on Sept. 10 after he claimed he had killed Kirk.

Fourth District Court Judge Thomas Low sentenced Zinn to spend up to 15 years in prison for the crimes: Two one-to-15 year terms for the second-degree felony exploitation charges, and a zero-to-five year sentence for obstruction. He will serve the terms concurrently.

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