TYLER, TX — Texas authorities have identified the man accused of attacking students at a Turning Point USA tent at the University of Texas at Tyler, where a confrontation on campus was caught on video and ended with an arrest by police. Smith County booking records identify the suspect as Ciro Tomlian.
Officials said Tomlian is a former student who was not enrolled at the university at the time of the incident. He now faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of assault causing bodily injury after allegedly striking TPUSA students with a cane.
University officials said the encounter involved three people and that campus police responded quickly. The video shows the end of the confrontation, including the suspect’s arrest and statements he made after officers placed him in handcuffs.
Video captures flag thrown down and cane swings during confrontation
The footage shows a man wearing a cape and a round-brimmed hat throwing an American flag to the ground and moving toward a group of people near the TPUSA tent. He then appears to raise a cane and swing it toward the students during the dispute.
At one point, he can be heard insulting the group and telling them to back away. A woman off-camera tells him to stay away, and he lifts the cane again before taking a checked swing in her direction.
A male voice then tells him that no one is scared of him. Moments later, he swings again and appears to strike that speaker before another person runs over and grabs the cane. Campus police arrive soon after and place him in handcuffs.
Suspect was trespassed from campus and remains in jail
After his arrest, Tomlian remained in custody at the Smith County jail, according to records. UT Tyler also trespassed him from school property, barring him from the campus grounds.
In the video, he appears to frame the incident as self-defense after being cuffed, telling officers that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. He also apologizes to an officer as he is led away, saying he was backed into a corner.
Authorities have not said in the materials reviewed what led up to the encounter before the camera started rolling. What is clear from the footage is that the confrontation escalated quickly and ended with police taking the suspect into custody at the scene.
UT Tyler president says violence will not be tolerated
UT Tyler President Dr. Julie V. Philley confirmed that the clash happened at a Turning Point USA student event. She said an individual who was not a UT Tyler student assaulted three people and that campus police responded immediately.
Philley also said the university will not tolerate violence and stressed that everyone has a right to free speech. Her statement came as the school dealt with the fallout from a visibly tense campus incident that spread widely after the video circulated.
The university’s response emphasized both campus safety and the principle of open expression. Officials did not describe any broader disruption to classes or university operations tied to the incident.
Turning Point USA remains in the spotlight after earlier campus violence
The incident comes against a backdrop of heightened attention on Turning Point USA events after the group’s founder, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated last year at Utah Valley University during another TPUSA event. The suspect in that case, Tyler Robinson, has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial in June 2028.
Fox News also noted a separate Election Day incident in New Hampshire in which police arrested a 70-year-old poet accused of slapping a Turning Point Action volunteer outside a polling place. That case, like the UT Tyler confrontation, was also recorded on video.
Together, the episodes show how Turning Point-affiliated events have increasingly become flashpoints on and off campus. The Tyler case now adds another criminal charge tied to a confrontation involving the organization.
Smith County records and campus police action provide the clearest account
For now, the clearest account of what happened comes from the video, Smith County booking records, and the university’s statement. Those materials identify the suspect, outline the charges, and confirm that campus police made the arrest.
The footage also captures the brief exchange after the struggle, when the suspect is taken into custody and the scene begins to calm. No additional injuries beyond the reported assaults on three people were detailed in the information released.
With Tomlian still jailed and barred from campus, the case is now expected to move through the local criminal process. Officials have not said whether any further university discipline or additional charges are pending.
