WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah—Questions are swirling as to how 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson became radicalized to the point of allegedly assassinating conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
Robinson’s mother told investigators that her son had turned more political over the past year or so, leaning more to the left and “becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented,” Utah County District Attorney Jeffrey Gray said on Sept. 16 when announcing charges against the 22-year-old.
After the suspect began to date his roommate, a male who identifies as a transgeposnder female, Gray said it resulted in discussions with family members, including his father, who holds “very different political views.”
In a conversation with his mother before the shooting, Robinson noted that Kirk would be holding an event at Utah Valley University, which he described as a “stupid venue” and accused the conservative commentator of “spreading hate,” according to Gray.
Asked whether Kirk’s alleged assassin acted alone, President Donald Trump told news reporters that he didn’t know but that he believed that online contacts influenced him.
“It looks like he was radicalized over the internet,” the president said on Sept. 15.
Authorities allege Robinson drove about 250 miles from his normal locales to Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, ascended a rooftop, then fired at Kirk as he spoke with college students about current issues. Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, died shortly thereafter. Robinson surrendered late on Sept. 11 and has since remained in jail.
The state is pursuing the death penalty, according to Gray.
Authorities said Robinson does not yet have an attorney, and his next court appearance is set for Sept. 29.
Locals Puzzled
People who hail from Robinson’s stomping grounds say they, like many others, are puzzled as to how and why a bright young man from an upstanding family of faith turned into the alleged assassin of the conservative commentator.The Epoch Times visited two places in Washington County, Utah, where Robinson, 22, went to school and lived.
At his college in St. George, schoolmates echoed some of the same questions raised by his neighbors a few miles away in Washington City, while investigators continued gathering evidence of his alleged crime, motive, and any possible co-conspirators.
A nine-year resident of Pine View Estates in Washington City told The Epoch Times that she hadn’t seen the Robinson family as often in recent years, but she said, “From what I know, they’re just a good family ... an amazing family.”
She and others asked not to be identified over privacy concerns.
Robinson’s parents convinced Robinson to turn himself in to the police, according to Gray. Neighbors commented on how that would have been incredibly difficult to do as a parent, but they said they didn’t know anything further about that chain of events. Attempts to reach his family for comment were unsuccessful.
Robinson’s longtime neighbor recalls that the now-accused young man had previously been an engaged member of the nearby chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, administering the Sacrament to fellow believers. Members of that Christian denomination are better known as Mormons, and they adhere to strict codes of morality.
With that type of upbringing, the neighbor cannot imagine what could have influenced Robinson to allegedly become violent enough to take someone else’s life.
“It hurts your heart. Something was truly disturbing this young man, because he wasn’t raised that way,” she said.
Authorities are investigating Robinson’s connections to determine whether anyone else was involved in planning or supporting the assassination of Kirk.
Alleged Confession
On Sept. 10, Robinson messaged his partner, telling him, “Drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard,” according to the charging information.According to the filing, the partner then text messaged Robinson: “What?????????????? You’re joking, right????”
Robinson replied: “I am still ok my love, but am stuck in orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
The partner then asked, “You weren’t the one who did it right????”
Robinson replied, “I am, I’m sorry.”
When the partner asked why Robinson did it, he replied: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
The partner also asked how long Robinson had been planning the attack, to which he replied, “A bit over a week I believe.”
Robinson then discusses trying to retrieve the rifle, saying, “I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpas rifle.”
The engravings on the bullets, Robinson said in another message, are “mostly a big meme.”
In another message, Robinson said: “My dad wants photos of the rifle ... he says grandpa wants to know who has what, the feds released a photo of the rifle, and it is very unique. [He’s] calling me [right now], not answering.”
Robinson also asked his partner to delete the text message exchange, not speak to the media, stay silent, and ask for a lawyer if contacted by police.
Probe Targets Social Media Contacts
FBI Director Kash Patel on Sept. 15 revealed that DNA evidence matching Robinson was found at the crime scene.Officers previously said they had found the gun believed to have been used to kill Kirk stashed in a nearby wooded area, wrapped in a towel.
Genetic material from the towel matched the suspect, according to Patel.
A separate post on Aug. 10, a full month prior to the shooting, predicted that Sept. 10 would prove to be “a very interesting day.” After the shooting, the account owner wrote, “I plead the fifth,” referring to the Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and avoid self-incrimination.
A third social media account, which appears to follow Robinson’s roommate, commented on the Aug. 10 post and mentioned seeing “Tyler” on June 30.
Discord is a chat app that is generally used for gaming, but it can be used to communicate through private servers.
Facts About Past, Present
Robinson was granted a prestigious academic scholarship to Utah State University but attended for only one year after his high school graduation in 2021.At the apartment that Robinson shared with his transgender-identifying partner, the Cottages at Fossil Hill, a sign at the entrance on Sept. 15 warned that only residents were permitted to enter. It also warned “law enforcement will be called” if news reporters set foot on the property. Three apparent TV news crews perched high on a hillside overlooking the complex in St. George, Utah, a few miles from the Pine View Estates neighborhood.
It’s also close to the school Robinson was attending.
He was a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College.
A student in the diesel program there, Aidan Jones, 19, of Enterprise, Utah, told The Epoch Times he recognized Robinson as someone he passed in the hallways.
“It’s kind of a little scary to find out that I was walking right next to someone with those kinds of intentions,” Jones said.
He said that, despite widespread complaints about college students being indoctrinated with radical leftist ideologies, he has seen no sign of “bias” among his instructors at Dixie Tech.
Because of the nature of that school, students engage mostly in hands-on skills work, rather than philosophical debate, Jones noted.
He doubts that Robinson picked up radical ideas there.
Jones commended the college for informing students about Robinson and making counseling and other resources available to anyone who might need them.
Robinson’s longtime neighbor wonders aloud about observers of the suspect and his possible descent into “a dark place.”
“Could someone have noticed that ‘in the quiet heart is hidden sorrow that I can’t see’?” she asked, quoting a phrase from a favorite hymn.
