A 71-year-old man, who was arrested shortly after the assassination of Charlie Kirk and then released, tried to help the suspected gunman escape by faking a confession, authorities say.

Utah County Sheriff Michael Smith said George Zinn admitted to police that he had "yelled that he was the shooter to allow the actual suspect to flee".

The prime suspect in the killing is 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who appeared to acknowledge Mr Zinn's initial arrest after the shooting, telling his roommate over text that the police "grabbed some crazy old dude".

What a bro.