Charlie Kirk suspect Tyler Robinson’s trans roommate had ‘no idea’ about shooting

The trans roommate and alleged “romantic partner” of Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the death of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, did not know about the shooting, the governor of Utah has said.

Kirk, known for his gun rights advocacy and anti-LGBTQ+ views, was shot in the neck while giving a talk at Utah Valley University on Wednesday (10 September). 22-year old Robinson was arrested two days later.

Utah governor Spencer Cox, who called for the shooter to face the death penalty before they were identified, has told NBC’s Meet The Press on Sunday: “The roommate was a romantic partner,” Sky News reported. “We can confirm that that roommate is a boyfriend who is transitioning from male to female.”

Tyler Robinson is due to appear in court on Tuesday (16 September), but is “not co-operating” with police, according to reports. The authorities have not said whether his partner – or their gender – was relevant to the investigation and a motive for the killing remains unclear but Cox said they had been “incredibly co-operative” and had “no idea [the shooting] was happening”.

Tyler Robinson is being held on suspicion of aggravated murder, a felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice.

Investigators said his father recognised Robinson from images released during a 33-hour manhunt, and had confronted his son. The father then spoke to a youth pastor, who called the police.

Kirk, who was talking about “trans shooters” moments before he was gunned down, has been remembered by president Trump, who praised the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA).

“No one understood or had the heart of the youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “He was loved and admired by all, especially me, and now he is no longer with us.”

In 2016, TPUSA created a “professor watch list” database of academic staff, journalists and activists who, it claimed, discriminated “against conservative students” and promoted “anti-American values”.

People on the list have talked about facing threats of physical and sexual violence from TPUSA supporters, including users sharing pictures of their homes.

The right-wing organisation also transported supporters to the insurrection at the US Capitol building in January 2021, during which at least five people died.

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