Charlie Kirk: Suspect Tyler Robinson had ‘leftist ideology’ but motive unclear, Utah Governor Cox says

Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) said Sunday that authorities still do not know the motive in the deadly shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but that interviews with relatives and those close to suspect Tyler Robinson have revealed new information, including that he had a “leftist ideology.”

Robinson, who was arrested after a 33-hour manhunt, has not been cooperating with authorities, Governor Cox said on NBC’s Meet the Press.

Relatives told investigators that Robinson, 22, had a “very different” ideology than that of his conservative family, Governor Cox said on NBC.

“There clearly was a leftist ideology,” he said, without providing further details. State voter records show Robinson is registered as an unaffiliated voter, while his parents are registered Republicans.

Governor Cox said the suspect, who was once a straight-A student, appeared to have “radicalised” after dropping out of Utah State University - and seemed to spend a lot of time on “dark places of the internet.”

“He is not co-operating, but all the people around him were co-operating, and I think that’s very important,” Governor Cox told the ABC program This Week.

Robinson was living with a romantic partner who “was shocked” to learn about the shooting at a crowded event at the Utah Valley University campus last week and who has been cooperating with authorities, Governor Cox said.

The partner, whom investigators believe did not have any prior knowledge of the shooting, is transitioning from male to female, Governor Cox said Sunday.

He said authorities could not say whether that was relevant to the suspect’s motive.

“We’re trying to figure it out. I know everybody wants to know exactly why and point the finger. … I just want to be careful,” Governor Cox said Sunday on CNN.

He said more would become public Tuesday, when authorities expect to unveil charges in the high-profile case.

The memorial for Kirk, a 31-year-old activist and online provocateur who built Turning Point USA, an organisation growing the right’s reach among young voters, is scheduled for next Sunday in the Phoenix area at State Farm Stadium, where the Arizona Cardinals play.

US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Cabinet secretaries and members of Congress are expected to attend, according to people familiar with the planning who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the details.

Robinson is being held without bail on suspicion of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and discharge of a weapon causing serious bodily harm.

The aggravated murder count could be charged as a capital felony, which under Utah law is punishable by the death penalty or life in prison. Court documents showed that Robinson had no prior misdemeanour or felony convictions.

Governor Cox repeated his appeal to Americans to come together and disavow political violence.

“If your view of America is not shaken right now, then there’s something wrong with you,” he told CNN. “This is an assault on America.”

Since the shooting, Mr Trump has blamed “the radical left” and vowed in an address from the White House to go after “each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity.”

He has in recent days decried political violence against Republicans, but not highlighted attacks against Democrats, such as the slaying in June of a Minnesota state legislator and her husband, as well as the wounding of another state legislator and his wife. The suspect in that case has been charged with first-degree murder.

Authorities have said they believe the suspect in the Kirk case acted alone.

Many of those who knew Robinson have described him as reserved, funny and fond of video games. Governor Cox on Sunday said Robinson was “a very smart young man” with high ACT scores who seemed to have experienced a shift after he dropped out of Utah State University after one semester.

He then enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George, Utah, where he was a third-year student.

“Clearly there was a lot of gaming going on,” Governor Cox said on Meet the Press.

“Friends have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, the Reddit culture, and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep.”

Robinson had recently criticised Kirk, officials said.

In a court affidavit, authorities said a family friend reported that after Kirk was shot, Robinson “confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident.”

The affidavit also said investigators recovered at the scene of the crime a rifle along with bullet casings with phrases engraved on them. One allegedly read: “hey fascist! CATCH!” Several etchings on the casings related to words and symbols used in gaming culture.

Robinson had been living at an apartment complex in St. George a few miles away from his family home, according to neighbours, several of whom said they occasionally saw him or his car but knew little about him.

Residents said they were shocked to see Kirk’s alleged killer arrested in their quiet and Republican-leaning corner of Utah.

“It’s a pretty conservative place, and it’s very rooted in family values,” said Jessie Riley, 41, who noted that the Mormon Church has a strong presence in the community.

“I’m dumbfounded,” he said Friday as reporters from national and international news outlets wandered around the parking lot.

“You kind of look at humanity a little bit different. ... When it’s here, you’re like, wow, maybe I should pay more attention to my neighbours.”

Hannah Knowles, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Perry Stein contributed to this report.

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