Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, is refusing to cooperate with investigators and has not confessed to the crime. Robinson was arrested Thursday night, 33 hours after Kirk was shot in the neck during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.
Cox told NBC's Meet the Press that investigators are "still trying to piece together" Robinson's motive, though interviews with family and friends suggest he had been "deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology." The governor said Robinson had spent significant time on the "dark corners of the internet" and was immersed in meme culture and online forums that may have contributed to his radicalization.
"There clearly was a leftist ideology," Cox said. "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." Court documents show one of the bullets used in the shooting was engraved with the message, "Hey, fascist! Catch!"
The governor said Robinson's partner, who is transitioning from male to female, has been "incredibly cooperative" and had no prior knowledge of the alleged plot. Investigators have executed a search warrant at Robinson's family home in Washington, about 240 miles from the crime scene, and have interviewed dozens of people connected to him.
Robinson is being held without bail at Utah County Jail on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. He is expected to make his first court appearance Tuesday.
Cox, a Republican, has called Kirk's killing "a direct assault on America" and urged Americans to "look in the mirror and decide, are we going to try to make it better, or are we going to make it worse?" He has also renewed his criticism of social media, calling it a "cancer" and arguing for stronger measures to hold platform owners accountable.
Kirk, 31, was a prominent conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, known for his combative college campus events and outspoken support of President Donald Trump. His death has sparked tributes and vigils across the country, including a candlelit memorial at Dream City Church in Phoenix, where attendees watched clips of Kirk discussing his faith and his goal to be "remembered for courage."
At the event, Pastor Angel Barnett told the crowd, "The left is nervous. And they're concerned because they've lost control. Charlie started that, and we will continue it." Fellow panelist Brandon Tatum added, "These cowards thought that they could end or eliminate the movement. They just made it bigger. They just made it stronger."
A public memorial service for Kirk is scheduled for September 21 at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, where his widow, Erika, and their two children live.
