Utah governor says suspect in Charlie Kirk assassination is not cooperating with authorities

The 22-year-old suspect behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is “not cooperating” with investigators, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and two law enforcement sources said.

Cox stressed on several Sunday morning news shows that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack and said more information may come out once the suspect, Tyler Robinson, appears in court on Tuesday.

“There’s so much more that we’re learning, and so much more that we will learn,” Cox said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “There will be official charges filed on Tuesday, and there will be much more evidence and information available then. And again, we’re interviewing all kinds of people, everyone that knows him, and trying to learn more about what that motive actually was.”

Kirk, who co-founded the right-wing advocacy group Turning Point USA and was a confidant of President Trump, was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on Wednesday as he addressed a large crowd at an outdoor debate. He was 31 and is survived by his wife, Erika, and two young children.

Robinson was arrested Friday on charges of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, according to an inmate booking sheet from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. 

Officials described the shootings as a “targeted attack,” and it drew condemnation from both sides of the political aisle

Cox, a Republican who has called on both the left and right to tone down their rhetoric after the attack, said: “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 investigations have unearthed that Robinson had left-leaning political beliefs and disliked Kirk. 

“That information comes from people around him, his family members and friends,” he said on CNN.

Cox also said the suspect’s partner was transgender but that he was unsure if it was relevant to the case.

“The roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female,” Cox said. “I can say that he has been incredibly cooperative, this partner has been very cooperative, had no idea that this was happening.”

State records show that Robinson registered as an unaffiliated voter. He is listed as an inactive voter in state records, meaning he didn’t vote in the last two elections. He was not old enough to vote in 2020. 

Robinson had no prior felony or misdemeanor convictions and no prior violent offenses, according to a Public Safety Assessment Report filed in Utah state court.

Robinson grew up around St. George, in the southwestern corner of Utah. He became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at a young age, church spokesperson Doug Andersen told the Associated Press.

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!”