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Utah Gov. Cox said Tyler Robinson, suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing, had left-leaning views and was influenced by radical online content.

Robinson was apprehended approximately 250 miles from Utah Valley University (Reuters photo)
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Sunday that investigators are not yet ready to discuss what motivated the killing of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump. However, he said the suspect, Tyler Robinson (22), had left-leaning political views, did not like Kirk, and had not been cooperating with police.
“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.”
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The Utah Governor said Robinson had been influenced by radical content online. “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,” he said on NBC.
He added, “I really don’t have a dog in this fight. If this was a radicalized MAGA person, I’d be saying that as well.” The governor said more information may be revealed once the suspect appears in court on Tuesday.
Kirk was killed during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Cox urged against political finger-pointing, saying, “I really don’t have a dog in this fight. If this was a radicalized MAGA person, I’d be saying that as well.”
The governor also confirmed that Robinson’s romantic partner is a transgender woman. “The roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female,” Cox said, adding, “I can say that he has been incredibly cooperative, this partner has been very cooperative, had no idea that this was happening.”
Investigators carried out a search warrant at Robinson’s family home in Washington. According to state records, Robinson is a registered but inactive voter with no party affiliation. His parents are registered Republicans.
Court records indicate the ammunition used in the shooting included anti-fascist and meme-style messages, including a casing that read, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”
Robinson, once an honor roll student and academic scholar, is currently enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College.
About the Author

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com’s general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18…Read More
Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com’s general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18… Read More
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
September 14, 2025, 21:08 IST
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