The man who allegedly shot Charlie Kirk apparently comes from a Republican family. He was reportedly politically conservative in high school. A former classmate wonders what has happened since.
Who is Tyler Robinson, the suspected gunman who allegedly killed ultra-conservative activist Charlie Kirk with a single shot from over 100 meters away? While investigators search for a motive, new details paint a complex picture of the 22-year-old. According to US media, he grew up in a Republican household, was exposed to guns from an early age, and is now alleged to have killed one of the most well-known conservative opinion leaders, who had primarily young fans. Anti-fascist messages were engraved on the ammunition that investigators found next to the murder weapon.
Robinson was an outstanding student, reports the New York Times, citing former classmates. They described him as intelligent, punctual, and hardworking."He's the kind of person you'd want in your project group even if you weren't friends," said Jaida Funk, who attended elementary and middle school with Robinson. He wasn't one of the hottest students, but people liked him.
Robinson spent a lot of time playing video games and comics, but he was also interested in current events. He was rather reserved in school, several former classmates said. But Keaton Brooksby, who attended high school with him, also remembered political debates in which he participated with great knowledge."It's really sad that someone with his mind turned it into something like that," he told the newspaper.
In a video posted on Facebook in 2021, Robinson reads a letter stating that he received a $32,000 scholarship to Utah State University. According to a spokesperson, he only attended the university for one semester. He then transferred to Dixie Technical College in the same state, where he was studying to become an electrician at the time of his crime.
Robinson grew up in a Republican environment in the state of Utah. He is said to have been a member of a local Mormon church:"I can confirm that Robinson became a member of the church at a young age, but I ask that you direct any further questions regarding his church activities to him or his family," a spokesperson said. A regular churchgoer described Robinson as an"inactive member."
Robinson's parents are registered Republicans and own a countertop company, according to the Wall Street Journal, and his mother is a social worker. Robinson himself has not affiliated with any political party and did not vote in the last presidential election. Publicly available data does not provide clear information about the 22-year-old's political stance.
According to the New York Times, his parents have hunting licenses. The newspaper found family photos on social media showing Robinson and his two brothers shooting and posing with guns. Photos of trips to Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, and several times to Disneyland were also found, the Washington Post reported.
He is said to have been politically conservative in high school
Little is known about his political stance. In high school, Robinson, like his family, was reportedly conservative. Before the 2020 presidential election, he supported Donald Trump, CNN quoted a former classmate as saying:"When I knew him and his family, they were die-hard Trump supporters." Referring to the assassination attempt, he added:"When that happened, I thought... I don't know what changed."
An electrician who reportedly recently worked with Robinson, however, described his colleague to CNN as someone who"didn't really talk about politics" unless someone brought it up. The electrician further stated that Robinson"didn't particularly like Trump or Charlie (Kirk)." He described the suspected gunman as a shy person who "wasn't talkative unless you spoke to him."
Recently, Robinson allegedly mentioned Charlie Kirk's planned appearance at the university at a dinner with a family member. Investigators reported that they discussed why they disliked Kirk. Kirk was an influential representative of US President Trump's"Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement and a fervent supporter of the Republican. Millions followed his social media channels and podcasts.
Along with the murder weapon, investigators also found ammunition engraved with various messages. Some of the slogans referenced internet and gaming culture. One read"Hey fascist! Catch," another "If you're reading this, you're gay, lmao." The abbreviation comes from online language and means "I'm laughing my head off." "Bella Ciao," an anti-fascist Italian song from World War II that has since been revived on TikTok, was also inscribed on one shell.
After his crime on Wednesday, Robinson fled. His father reportedly recognized him in a mug shot and encouraged him to turn himself in, according to the AP news agency, citing a law enforcement official. Robinson initially refused, but later changed his mind. Robinson's father reportedly contacted a youth pastor, who helped Robinson turn himself in.
dpa/KNA/AP/gub
