Utah authorities said a political motive behind the killing of Charlie Kirk has taken center stage in their investigation, according to information released at a news conference by Gov. Spencer Cox. The hypothesis was strengthened by testimony from family members of 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson, who detailed the young man's growing interest in politics and his personal dislike of Kirk.

During interviews with investigators, a relative of Robinson recounted that at a dinner held before September 10, the defendant mentioned Kirk's upcoming visit to Utah Valley University, openly expressing his dislike for the activist's positions.

According to Cox, “they talked about why they didn’t like him and his views,” and noted that Kirk was “a hateful person and a hate monger.”

Governor Spencer Cox noted that relatives perceived Robinson's radicalization in recent years, commenting that he"had become more political." This ideological shift emerged within the family and was part of the conversations leading up to the attack. In that context, the suspect expressed his dislike for Kirk and specifically stated that he would attend the event where the murder ultimately occurred.

The family's statements also took on special significance because they were instrumental in Robinson's capture. After the release of surveillance images and the FBI's appeal to the public, the accused's father recognized him and, when confronted about what had happened, obtained a confession from his son, according to reports released by the local press and publicly endorsed by Cox.

The father, who initially sought to have him assume responsibility, contacted a youth pastor who occasionally works with the U.S. Marshals to coordinate the suspect's voluntary surrender and notify authorities.

Robinson's entourage stressed that the young man had expressed increasingly polarized views and participated in political discussions insistently. The detainee's roommate gave authorities access to messages found on the Discord chat app, in which a user identified as Tyler referred to the need to"recover a rifle from a drop-off point" and to "leave the weapon wrapped in a towel in a bush," facts that were consistent with the evidence collected at the crime scene.

The first circumstantial evidence found by investigators was conclusive: Robinson's clothing matched that of the individual recorded in the security recordings of Utah Valley University, and a family member confirmed that he was driving a gray Dodge Challenger, a car filmed near the scene of the attack.

Police recovered a.30-caliber bolt-action Mauser rifle wrapped in a towel and located in a wooded area where the suspect is believed to have fled after firing from a rooftop. Bullet casings collected at the scene bore engraved inscriptions, including one that read, “Hey fascist. Think fast,” Cox said at a news conference.

Robinson was admitted to Utah State University on a scholarship in 2021, but only stayed for one semester, according to a university spokesperson. He was studying electricity at Dixie Technical College near St. George and was listed as an unaffiliated voter with no criminal record. His registered address remained that of his parents, about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from the campus where the attack occurred. Law enforcement sources said Robinson acted alone and that the investigation remains open on charges of murder, weapons offenses and obstruction.

On the social front, the murder of Charlie Kirk —known for his conservative activism and for founding Turning Point USA— sparked widespread national outrage. While police continued their search for evidence on the university campus, figures such as President Donald Trump announced that Kirk would be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, posthumously.

Robinson's family home was under sustained police surveillance following the arrest, and those close to him declined to comment. It was not confirmed whether the suspect had appointed a lawyer for his defense. Authorities expected the initial hearing to take place the following Tuesday, in a case that revived concerns about the rise in political violence and ideological polarization in the country.