Provo, UT – A Utah County man is facing multiple felony charges after police say he obstructed an active shooting investigation and was later found with child sexual abuse material on his phone.
According to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, George Zinn was taken into custody on September 10, 2025, during a chaotic scene at Utah Valley University after a shooting incident. Witnesses reported that Zinn was shouting false claims that he was the shooter, which investigators say hindered law enforcement efforts.
While Zinn was hospitalized for a medical issue, FBI agents and the Utah State Bureau of Investigation interviewed him. During that interview, agents reported that Zinn admitted he had falsely identified himself as the shooter. Investigators were later given access to his phone, where they said they discovered illicit material.
A search warrant executed on September 15 revealed more than 20 explicit images of children between the ages of 5 and 12, according to the sheriff’s office. Detectives also reported uncovering graphic text messages where Zinn allegedly shared the material with others. Officials said Zinn admitted he gained gratification from the images and identified his preferred victim age range.
Zinn is currently booked in the Utah County Jail on the following charges:
- Two counts of felony obstruction of justice
- Four counts of felony sexual exploitation of a minor
Authorities emphasized there is no indication Zinn was involved with the actual shooter at Utah Valley University. The investigation into the child exploitation material remains ongoing.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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