Accused Charlie Kirk shooter ‘never talked about trans issues’, friends claim

People who knew Charlie Kirk’s alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, have reportedly claimed he did not discuss trans issues, contrary to the Trump administration’s narrative.

On 10 September, 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder Kirk, who was known for his gun rights advocacy and anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs alongside controversial views on abortion, Islam and Covid-19, was holding one of his open-air debates at Utah Valley University when he was shot in the neck.

In the seconds before the gun shot, which came from the roof of a nearby university building, Kirk had been discussing the conservative conspiracy theory about trans shooters.

Kirk was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries.

Following an intense manhunt by the authorities, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested two days later. He has been charged with aggravated murder and multiple other charges. 

In the wake of Robinson’s arrest, there was a great deal of theorising about the reason – if any – behind Robinson allegedly targeting Kirk, with the Trump administration claiming he was radicalised by left-wing material.

On Wednesday (17 December), The Washington Post published an article that sought to provide a view into Robinson’s life and his beliefs by drawing on from interviews with 21 people who knew Robinson, alongside hundreds of online messages he exchanged in the run up to Kirk’s shooting.

According to those who spoke with the outlet who used to play Magic: The Gathering with Robinson and his roommate – who is trans and there has been much speculation about the nature of their relationship – he had a quiet presence and his beliefs generally came across as libertarian or conservative.

“He loved his guns, he loved his beer, he hated the government. That’s the impression that I got,” one friend said of Robinson.

Others noted Robinson disliked both the Democrats and Republicans and felt they each let down normal Americans, with one person recalling he “would joke about right-wing politicians,” and say, when drunk: “Like, that guy’s gonna catch a bullet one day or something like that.”

Xander Luke, 22, told the Post that Robinson took an interest in current events during high school and at the time of the 2020 US presidential election “didn’t think either of the options were good”.

Luke added that Robinson did not like “hateful people” or bullies “because they looked down on people for just living their lives”.

Those who knew him at school said he came across as “funny but awkward” and was not someone who was easy to know.

The Post’s article notes that Robinson rarely discussed trans issues – something the Trump administration has honed in on as the explanation for Robinson’s actions, despite him not being trans and his trans roommate/partner claiming to have no clue about his plans to carry out a shooting.

His trans roommate was reportedly increasingly upset about the state of anti-trans sentiment in the US and Utah itself and felt Trump’s election victory was a a loss for trans rights. One person recalled seeing Robinson comforting his sobbing roommate in his arms on more than one occasion.

One person who spent time at Robinson’s apartment said he began criticising conservatives for fearmongering about trans issues after he started dating his roommate, however, others said they noticed no change in his non-partisan politics whatsoever and never heard him talk about transgender issues.