In Short:
– Utah authorities are investigating the shooting of commentator Charlie Kirk, allegedly killed by suspect Tyler Robinson during an event.
– Robinson is in custody, facing charges and showing no cooperation with investigators regarding his motive.

Utah authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, which occurred during an event at Utah Valley University.

The suspect, Tyler Robinson, 22, is not cooperating with investigators as they seek to determine his motive.

Governor Spencer Cox confirmed Robinson will face formal charges on Tuesday and remains in custody.

 

Robinson has not confessed to investigators, Cox told the ABC program “This Week.”

“He is not cooperating, but all the people around him were cooperating, and I think that’s very important,” the Republican governor said.

Robinson allegedly fired a long-range shot that killed Kirk during a gathering attended by 3,000 people.

Investigators are speaking with his friends and family for insights, with reports suggesting Robinson had previously expressed disdain for Kirk and his views.

The shooting has sparked concern over rising political violence amid growing ideological divisions in the U.S.

Asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” program whether the roommate’s gender identity is relevant to the investigation, Cox said, “That’s what we’re trying to figure out right now. … It’s easy to draw conclusions from that, and so we’ve got the shell casings, other forensic evidence that is coming in – and trying to piece all of those things together.”

Investigation Continues

The investigation revealed messages inscribed on the bullet casings, suggesting a personal motive linked to Kirk’s controversial rhetoric.

While Robinson’s background indicates a more complex ideological stance diverging from his conservative upbringing, calls for calm and a reduction in political rhetoric have emerged in the aftermath of the shooting.

A memorial for Kirk is scheduled for September 21 in Glendale, Arizona.

Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, urged calm on Sunday.

“We’ve got to turn the rhetoric down,” Johnson said on the “Fox News Sunday” program.

In conversations he has had with Republican and Democratic House members since Kirk’s killing, Johnson said, “There’s this recognition that people have got to stop framing simple policy disagreements in terms of existential threats to our democracy.”