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Utah governor repeats ‘leftist ideology’ charge on alleged Charlie Kirk assassin despite motive still being unclear
Governor Spencer Cox said Tyler Robinson is "not cooperating" and that friends paint a picture of someone radicalised in the dark corners of the internet.
The authorities are yet to determine the motive behind the assassination of conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk, days after the alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, was arrested after a 33-hour search.
Despite the motive still being unclear, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Sunday that the suspect had left-leaning political beliefs and disliked Charlie Kirk. Cox also said that the 22-year-old is being uncooperative in custody.
"Clearly a leftist ideology," Cox told NBC's "Meet the Press." On CNN's "State of the Union," he said: "That information comes from the people around him, his family members and friends."
Cox said Tyler Robinson is "not cooperating" and that friends paint a picture of someone radicalised in the dark corners of the internet.
"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," Cox said on NBC.
Governor Cox, a Republican, has asked both sides of the political spectrum to tone down their rhetoric on the shooting and the suspect. "I really don't have a dog in this fight. If this were a radicalised MAGA person, I'd be saying that as well," He said.
Cox stressed, however, that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack on Kirk, a father of two and Trump confidant, who was killed Wednesday while on one of his signature college speaking tours at Utah Valley University. The governor said more information may come out once Robinson appears in court on Tuesday.
Tyler Robinson's political leanings
State records show that Tyler Robinson is registered to vote but not affiliated with a political party. He is listed as inactive, meaning he did not vote in the two most recent general elections. His parents are registered Republicans.
Ammunition found with the weapon used to kill Kirk was engraved with taunting, anti-fascist and meme-culture messages. Court records show that one bullet casing had the message, "Hey, fascist! Catch!"
Robinson grew up around St. George, in the southwestern corner of Utah, between Las Vegas and natural landmarks such as Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. He became a member of the Mormon church at a young age.
Robinson has two younger brothers, and his parents have been married for about 25 years, according to social media posts. Online activity by Robinson's mother reflects an active family that took vacations to Disneyland, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Alaska.
Like many in that part of Utah, they frequently spent time outdoors — boating, fishing, riding ATVs, zip-lining and target shooting. A 2017 post shows the family visiting a military facility and posing with assault rifles. A young Robinson smiles as he grips the handles of a .50-calibre heavy machine gun.
A high school honour roll student who scored in the 99th percentile nationally on standardised tests, he was admitted to Utah State University in 2021 on a prestigious academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter that was posted to a family member's social media account.
However, according to the university, he attended for only one semester. He is currently enrolled as a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George.
