Utah Governor Motive In Kirk Shooting Not Yet Certain

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 18, 2025, 9:17 PM

utah governor motive in kirk shooting not yet certain

A 22-year-old Utah man who was arrested and booked on murder charges in the assassination of Charlie Kirk held deep disdain for the conservative activist’s provocative viewpoints and indicated to a family member that... (AP Video: Ty ONeil & Eugene Garcia) Investigators were still piecing together information about the suspect, Tyler Robinson, and not yet ready to discuss a potential motive. But Utah Governor Spencer Cox noted that Robinson, who is not cooperating with law enforcement, disliked Kirk and may have been “radicalized” online. Senior Republican figures gathered at the Kennedy Center in Washington to pay tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk who was fatally shot at a college in Utah. People hold candles and sing during a memorial and prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk at the John F.

Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) People sing and pray during a memorial and prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Washington.

(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday that investigators are not ready to discuss the motive behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. But he said the suspect had left-leaning political beliefs, disliked the conservative influencer and 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 Robinson, 22, is “not cooperating” and that friends paint a picture of someone radicalized in the dark corners of the internet.

“Clearly there was a lot of gaming going on,” Cox said on NBC. “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.” A Republican who's called on all partisans to tone down their rhetoric following the attack, the governor 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.” Cox stressed on several Sunday morning news shows, however, that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack on the father of two and Trump confidant, who was killed Wednesday... The governor said more information may come out once the suspect, Tyler Robinson, appears in court Tuesday.

This photo released by the Utah Governor's Office on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025 shows Tyler Robinson. (Utah Governor's Office via AP) A vehicle, marked with messages written on its windows in tribute to Turning Point USA CEO and co-founder Charlie Kirk and carrying an American flag, drives Saturday past Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox becomes emotional while speaking Friday during a news conference at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, regarding the killing of Turning Point USA CEO and co-founder Charlie Kirk.

Federal law enforcement officials stand Friday outside the family home of Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Turning Point USA CEO and co-founder Charlie Kirk, in Washington, Utah. Law enforcement officials stand Friday atop the Losee Center, where the alleged gunman escaped from the roof after shooting and killing Turning Point USA CEO and co-founder Charlie Kirk, at Utah Valley University in... Charlie Kirk's alleged killer is "not co-operating" with authorities and has not confessed to carrying out the shooting, Utah's governor Spencer Cox has said. Suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody some 33 hours after Kirk, a 31-year-old right-wing activist, was shot dead in Orem on Wednesday. Cox, a Republican, told several Sunday morning shows that investigators were still trying to establish a motive but people around Robinson were co-operating. Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University at an open-air event held by Turning Point USA - the organisation he co-founded - when he was hit in the neck by a single bullet.

The event was part of the American Comeback Tour, which was a speaking engagement that took him to several college campuses throughout the US. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference, Orem, Utah, Sept. 12, 2025. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday that investigators are not ready to discuss the motive behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

But he said the suspect had left-leaning political beliefs, disliked the conservative influencer and 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 Robinson, 22, is “not cooperating” and that friends paint a picture of someone radicalized in the dark corners of the internet. In this file photo, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a news conference, as Utah department of public safety commissioner Beau Mason, left, and FBI Director Kash Patel listens, Orem, Utah, Sept. 12, 2025.

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI and JOSH BOAK, Associated Press Send this article to your social connections. Send this article to your social connections. WASHINGTON (AP) — Family and friends of the 22-year-old accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk described his politics as veering left in recent years as he spent large amounts of time scrolling... Spencer Spencer Cox said Sunday. Investigators were still piecing together information about the suspect, Tyler Robinson, and not yet ready to discuss a potential motive.

But Cox noted that Robinson, who is not cooperating with law enforcement, disliked Kirk and may have been “radicalized” online. More details emerge about the alleged shooter of conservative organizer Charlie Kirk. In churches today, people across the country mourned the killing of conservative organizer Charlie Kirk, who was shot Wednesday during a public appearance at Utah Valley University. This morning, in Kirk's home state of Arizona, Pastor Luke Barnett of Dream City Church remembered Kirk. LUKE BARNETT: We're here celebrating a young man who did not live a long life, but his impact was massive. DETROW: Meanwhile, we are learning more about the alleged shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who was arrested late Thursday.

NPR's Luke Garrett has been following the latest and joins us. Hi, Luke. GARRETT: So we learned more about Robinson's living situation before the shooting. Utah Governor Spencer Cox told ABC News that Robinson's roommate was a transgender person. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday that investigators are not ready to discuss the motive behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

But he said the suspect had left-leaning political beliefs, disliked the conservative influencer and 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 Robinson, 22, is “not cooperating” and that friends paint a picture of someone radicalized in the dark corners of the internet. “Clearly there was a lot of gaming going on,” Cox said on NBC. “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.”

A Republican who’s called on all partisans to tone down their rhetoric following the attack, the governor 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.” Cox stressed on several Sunday morning news shows, however, that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack on the father of two and Trump confidant, who was killed Wednesday... The governor said more information may come out once the suspect, Tyler Robinson, appears in court Tuesday. Editor's note: This page summarizes developments for Friday, Sept. 12 after the killing of Charlie Kirk.

For the latest news, visit USA TODAY's coverage of Charlie Kirk's death for Saturday, Sept. 13. WASHINGTON CITY, Utah – The suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is in custody on a murder charge while the conservative influencer's widow spoke publicly about her husband's killing for... The shooter was identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, said Gov. Spencer Cox. He was arrested after a relative contacted a family friend, who told authorities that Robinson had "confessed to them or implied that he committed the incident." Authorities said they tied him to the crime...

Robinson was arrested around 10 p.m. local time Thursday and will face charges of aggravated murder and two other felonies, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY. "Ladies and gentlemen, we got him," Cox said. On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, an American right-wing political activist, was assassinated while addressing an audience on the campus of Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah, United States. The outdoor event was the first stop of the Fall 2025 season for the American Comeback Tour, a speaking and debate series planned by Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization that he co-founded. Kirk was fatally shot in the neck while engaging with an audience member about mass shootings in the United States by a sniper on the roof of a building approximately 142 yards (130 m)...

The next day, 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson surrendered himself to the local sheriff. Prosecutors charged Robinson with murder on September 16 and announced they would seek the death penalty, alleging the attack was politically motivated.[2][3][4] The assassination was highlighted as an instance of increasing political violence within the United States and was condemned by national and foreign leaders. Video footage of the shooting spread rapidly on social media, and reactions ranged from heartfelt messages expressing anguish about the political climate to sharply partisan comments and celebrations of his death.[5][6][7] President Donald Trump,... The Trump administration called for a crackdown against what it called "political extremism" on the left,[10][11][12][13] which was widely criticized by free speech advocates and legal experts as using the assassination as a pretext... Charlie Kirk was an American right-wing political activist, author, and media personality, known for co-founding and serving as CEO of Turning Point USA.[17][18] A close ally of US president Donald Trump, Kirk utilized his...

Utah Governor Motive In Kirk Shooting Not Yet Certain

People Also Search

A 22-year-old Utah Man Who Was Arrested And Booked On

Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Sunday, Sept. 14,

(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) Utah Gov. Spencer Cox Said Sunday

“Clearly There Was A Lot Of Gaming Going On,” Cox

This Photo Released By The Utah Governor's Office On Friday,